NTSB Factual Report

On June 14, 2015, about 1000 central daylight time, a Weatherly 201B, N1272W, operated by Cobb Aerial Solutions LLC. was substantially damaged during landing roll, after a landing gear collapse, at St. Clair County Airport (PLR), Pell City, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137.

According to the pilot, he was landing on runway 21 at PLR. The weather conditions were clear and there was a slight wind favoring runway 21. While doing a wheel landing in the tailwheel equipped airplane everything appeared to be normal. However, as the airplane began to rollout and the pilot was lowering the tail of the airplane to the runway, he felt and heard "a jolt." The right main landing gear then collapsed, and the right wing struck the runway. The airplane then veered "violently" to the right, went off the right side of the runway and came to rest in the grassy area which bordered runway 21. Upon egressing from the airplane the pilot observed that the right main landing gear had completely separated from the airplane, and was lying in the center of the runway, approximately 500 feet down the runway from the point where he had touched down.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on November 24, 2014. He reported that he had accrued 1,685 total hours of flight experience, of which, 79 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane was substantially damaged when the right main landing gear collapsed and came into contact with the wing spar resulting in an approximate 4 inch long jagged tear in the wing spar where the broken landing gear tubing had impacted the forward facing side of the wing spar.

Examination of the tubing which made up the right main landing gear structure also revealed the presence of corrosion adjacent to the area where the right main landing gear structure had separated from its mounting location.

According to FAA and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1974. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on May 25, 2015. At the time of inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 4,782 total hours of operation.

Portions of the right main landing gear assembly were retained by the NTSB for further examination.