Dale Earnhardt Jr. Plane Crash Caused by Landing Gear Collapse

Remains of Dale Jr. plane

The Aug. 15 plane crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family was caused by a mechanical malfunction.

The National Transportation Safety Board report announced a landing gear collapse was the source of the crash:

"The airplane bounced twice, then continued airborne down runway 24 until it touched down a third time with about 1,000 ft of paved surface remaining. The video revealed that the right main landing gear collapsed and the outboard section of the right wing contacted the runway shortly after the third touchdown. The airplane departed the paved surface beyond the runway 24 departure end threshold, through an open area of grass, down an embankment, through a chain-link fence, and up an embankment, coming to rest on the edge of Tennessee Highway 91."