Date:	Tuesday 20 December 2016
Time:	16:04
Type:	Reims Cessna F172N Skyhawk
Owner/operator:	Trustee of the G-DUVL Flying Group
Registration:	G-DUVL
MSN:	172-1723
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Accident
Location:	White Waltham Airfield, Maidenhead, Berkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	White Waltham Airfield (EGLM)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Reims Cessna F172N Skyhawk, G-DUVL: Ground looped due to failure of the right landing gear leg, White Waltham Airfield, Berkshire, 20 December 2016. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB Report:

"The pilot reported that the touchdown on the grass runway at White Waltham was smooth with little impact; however, as the aircraft slowed to approximately 35 kt, there was a loud bang and the right side of the aircraft dropped. The aircraft turned to the right by approximately 120˚ before it came to a halt.

On vacating the aircraft, the pilot noticed that the right main wheel assembly had detached from the landing gear leg

=Airframe Maintenance=
A 150-hour check was carried out in accordance with Issue 1 of the CAA Light Aircraft Maintenance Programme (LAMP) and completed on the 10 October 2016, which was 34 flying hours and two months prior to the accident.

The LAMP required the landing gear structural members, the brakes, and the wheel fairings to be examined during the 150-hour check. The maintenance records show that during this check the brake pads were replaced, which would have required the spats to have been removed

=AAIB Comment=
The right landing gear leg failed as a result of a fatigue crack that initiated from damage caused by the end of a screw in contact with the leg. The condition of the fracture surface indicated that the fatigue crack was present for a period of time. The cyclic loads in the leg during the landing and taxiing would have caused the fatigue crack to grow until the leg eventually failed in overload during a ground roll.

Witness marks show that the screws securing the fairings on both main wheel spats had been in contact with their respective landing gear legs. While some of the eight screws were longer than the correct screw identified in the parts catalogue, the screw where the fatigue crack initiated was of the correct length. This indicates that it was probably some aspect of the fitting or profile of the wheel spat and fairing that had resulted in insufficient clearance between the screws and the landing gear leg".

=Nature of Damage to airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "Right main landing gear failed, minor damage the tailplane and elevator". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service

1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58ef91e3ed915d06ac0001b0/Reims_Cessna_F172N_Skyhawk_G-DUVL_05-17.pdf
2. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-DUVL.pdf
3. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-DUVL/803286
4. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-duvl
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Waltham_Airfield

This aircraft was built in 1978, and was first UK registered as G-DUVL on 16 August 1978. It had had four owners in total, the longest period of continuous ownership being with Anthony John Simpson, the aircraft\\\'s second owner, between 8 February 1990 and 27 April 2006 (16 years).

G-DUVL Reims/Cessna F172 @ Duxford 08/07/2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Apr-2024 09:42	Dr. John Smith	Added
08-Apr-2024 09:43	ASN	Updated [Accident report]