Port Columbus Intl Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbus, Ohio 43219
Tuesady, February 16, 1999 16:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

When the landing gear was lowered, the flight crew received landing gear control and interface unit (LGCIU) faults. A visual fly-by revealed the nose wheels were rotated 90 degrees from the desired direction for landing. A normal touchdown was made, after which, the captain commanded an emergency evacuation using the overwing exits. Examination of the airplane revealed the external 'O' rings in the steering control valve had extruded and by-passed pressurized hydraulic fluid to rotate the nose wheels. This event had occurred before, and the manufacturer had issued a service bulletin. The operator had not complied with the service bulletin, nor were they required to comply with it.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a failure of the external o-rings in the nose landing gear steering module.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 2/16/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1602
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COLUMBUS
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43219
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PORT COLUMBUS INTL ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CMH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 815
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 815
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 31
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5027
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 16 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N628AW
NTSB Number NYC99IA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Airbus Industrie
Aircraft Model A-320-231
Aircraft Series Identifier A-320-231
Aircraft Serial Number 67
Certified Max Gross Weight 162068
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 154
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 14 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 28404
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19898
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICA WEST AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4000 EAST SKY HARBOR BLVD
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85034
Operator Code AWXA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EWR
Departure City NEWARK
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1404
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CMH
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28L
Runway Length 10250
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --