Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On October 29, 2007, approximately 1630 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150 single-engine tailwheel airplane, N2736P, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of control due to the failure of the right main landing gear strut during landing at Fremont County Airport (1V6), Canon City, Colorado. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight originated from 1V6.

According to the pilot, he was practicing touch and go landings. During the sixth landing, he "felt a pop and the airplane begin to settle on its right side." Subsequently, the airplane exited the right side of the runway, contacted terrain, and came to rest on its nose. The pilot reported no anomalies prior to the accident, and he had accumulated 325 flight hours in the accident airplane.

The pilot reported the airplane underwent its most recent annual inspection in November 2006.

Examination of the airplane revealed the right rear landing gear hinge point attachment had fractured, and the firewall was wrinkled.

The reason for the hinge point attachment fracture was not determined. the failure of the landing gear hinge point attachment for undetermined reasons.