The pilot reported that during the cruise phase of a cross-country flight, the Long EZ’s oil pressure and oil temperature indicator readings dropped to zero.
He decided to make a precautionary landing at an airfield in Show Low, Arizona.
The airplane touched down on the runway and the right main landing gear leg fractured just above the wheel attachment and the wheel separated from the airplane. The main landing gear leg collapsed and the airplane exited the right side of the runway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
According to the maintenance logbook entries, the right main landing gear leg had fractured at the point of a previous repair. The airplane had larger tires and brakes installed after the time of the repair to the landing gear leg.
The cause of the fluctuations in the oil temperature gauge and oil pressure gauge were not the subject of this investigation.
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions, aside from the gauge indications, that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause: The right main landing gear leg fracture, which resulted in the landing gear wheel separation and a runway excursion.
NTSB Identification: GAA15CA187
This June 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
What a silly report’, The gauge fluctuations had no bearing
on the gear collapse. so the report stated What was the pilot
supposed to do : float down to earth on a feather.
Of course there was damage to be done.’
The report appears correct to me in that sense. The pilot made a precautionary landing at a nearby airport, not an emergency landing in the field or somewhere else. Therefore the pilot still had a full functioning aircraft at time of landing at the airport (stated in the report). If the pilot had an uneventful flight and landed normally at the intended destination the result would be the same as the gear failed at a point of previous repair. Possibly due to improper repair, but the report about does not go into that detail on that subject.