Detroit Metro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Detroit, Michigan 48242
Thursday, March 17, 1994 1:39 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After takeoff from Washington National Airport, the flight crew reported a loud air noise coming from the nose gear area after landing gear retraction. The crew elected to continue to their destination, Detroit Metro Airport. At their destination, the nose landing gear did not extend. The pilot made a landing with the nose gear UP. When the nose gear was retracted on takeoff the nose gear door hooks missed the gear door rollers on the lower nose gear strut. In the wheel well, the gear door rollers were above the gear door hooks. The gear will not extend when this configuration exists. The nose gear strut pressure was found to be below minimum acceptable pressure. The inspection program required a dimensional check of the nose strut extension to determine if there was acceptable strut pressure. It was found that the proper dimension can exist without minimum pressure in the strut.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the nose landing gear jammed in the UP position due to low pressure in the nose gear strut. A factor associated with the accident is the manufacturer's insufficient standards/requirements for determining the amount of nose strut inflation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 139
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DETROIT
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48242
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DETROIT METRO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DTW
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 639
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 143 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 639
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 9
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1070
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N327K
NTSB Number CHI94LA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DASSAULT-BREGUET
Aircraft Model FALCON 900
Aircraft Series Identifier FALCON 900
Aircraft Serial Number 003
Certified Max Gross Weight 46500
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 14
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 14 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 3397
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FORD MOTOR CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 359 METRO AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City DETROIT
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48242
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DCA
Departure City WASHINGTON
Departure State DC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1040
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3R
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --