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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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August 26, 1986 · Piper PA-23E-250 · N900TS

Grand Forks, ND

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 26, 1986
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (6 uninjured)
Location
Grand Forks, ND
Aircraft
Piper PA-23E-250
Tail Number
N900TS
Operator
James Kenney
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
DEN86LA239

THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE FROM FLIN FLON AIRPORT, MANITOBA, CD, TO MASON CITY, IA, AND HAD STOPPED AT GRAND FORKS, ND, FOR FUEL AND TO CLEAR CUSTOMS. DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF, THE ACFT STRUCK A 1-INCH CONCRETE LIP ON THE RAMP AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE ACTUATOR ROD END WAS BENT AND ONE OF FOUR SPRINGS ON THE OVERCENTER CAM DEVICE WAS DETACHED FROM ITS PROPER ATTACH POINT AND WAS EXCESSIVELY STRETCHED. WITH THE ACFT ON JACKS THE SPRING WAS REATTACHED AND THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED, TRAPPING THE SPRING BETWEEN THE DOWNLOCK SWITCH AND THE DOWNLOCK OVERCENTER MECHANISM. WITH SOME WEIGHT APPLIED TO THE LANDING GEAR, A FIRM UPWARD PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE OVERCENTER DEVICE AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. FURTHER TESTS REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE DID NOT ALWAYS CATCH THE SAFETY LATCH WHEN PLACED IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION, AND THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE SELECTOR TO GO FROM DOWN TO UP WITHOUT TRIGGERING THE LATCH.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE FROM FLIN FLON AIRPORT, MANITOBA, CD, TO MASON CITY, IA, AND HAD STOPPED AT GRAND FORKS, ND, FOR FUEL AND TO CLEAR CUSTOMS. DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF, THE ACFT STRUCK A 1-INCH CONCRETE LIP ON THE RAMP AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE ACTUATOR ROD END WAS BENT AND ONE OF FOUR SPRINGS ON THE OVERCENTER CAM DEVICE WAS DETACHED FROM ITS PROPER ATTACH POINT AND WAS EXCESSIVELY STRETCHED. WITH THE ACFT ON JACKS THE SPRING WAS REATTACHED AND THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED, TRAPPING THE SPRING BETWEEN THE DOWNLOCK SWITCH AND THE DOWNLOCK OVERCENTER MECHANISM. WITH SOME WEIGHT APPLIED TO THE LANDING GEAR, A FIRM UPWARD PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE OVERCENTER DEVICE AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. FURTHER TESTS REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE DID NOT ALWAYS CATCH THE SAFETY LATCH WHEN PLACED IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION, AND THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE SELECTOR TO GO FROM DOWN TO UP WITHOUT TRIGGERING THE LATCH.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:35 CDT
Nearest AirportGrand Forks-Mark Andrews (0nm N)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-23E-250
Tail NumberN900TS
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorJames Kenney
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-C4B5 · Reciprocating · 250
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (6 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured6
Total6
Crew 1Age 35 · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind360° @ 10 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data