N9235BCessna 175 · 1958

On January 31, 2023, about 1145 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 175, N9235B, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Hayden, Idaho. The pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The pilot receiving instruction reported that, during the landing roll, he slowed the tailwheel-equipped airplane to exit the runway at taxiway B. Without warning, the airplane began an abrupt right turn. The pilot applied full left rudder and left brake; however, the airplane continued the right turn and ground looped. He did not see damage to the airplane and decided to taxi clear of the runway and back to his hangar. The flight instructor reported that, “...it seemed to take a significantly greater application to get the airplane moving, and the pilot seemed to have to use left rudder to taxi the airplane straight.” The pilot receiving instruction reported that, “...the controls were not behaving true.”

After exiting the airplane, they discovered substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and left side of the elevator. The right main landing gear leg was misaligned, and the gearbox assembly was fractured. The right main landing gearbox assembly was removed and retained for further examination. Maintenance records showed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on 12/22/22. They also showed that the right main landing gear outboard saddle (part number 175-8) was repaired in September of 2019 and again in May of 2020.

Postaccident examination and fracture analysis of the right main landing gearbox assembly was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed evidence of fatigue cracks within the hollow slot of the gearbox assembly. Outside the zone of the fatigue cracking, the fracture surfaces exhibited coarse features, typical of overstress.

The pilot reported that during landing in the tailwheel equipped airplane with a crosswind, the airplane touched down on the main wheels and bounced. During the second bounce he applied full back stick pressure to place the tailwheel on the ground. Aileron and directional control inputs were applied to counteract the gusting crosswind, but the airplane veered right, exited the runway and ground looped.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 11 knots, gusting 14 knots. The airplane landed on runway 20.