Nas Sherman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pensacola, Florida 32524
Monday, May 23, 1994 16:44 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE PILOT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AFTER STARTING TO TAXI, THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLY CAME APART (EXPLODED) AND ONE SPLIT RIM STRUCK A GROUND OBSERVER, SEVERING HIS LEG. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NUTS ON THE THROUGH-BOLTS FOR THE SPLIT RIM WERE IMPROPER AND THAT THE TIRES MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-INFLATED. THE AIRPLANE RECORDS WERE NOT COMPLETE. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT ASCERTAIN WHO HAD INSTALLED THE WRONG NUTS OR WHEN THE INSTALLION HAD BEEN PERFORMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF NUTS ON THE NOSEWHEEL (SPLIT RIM) THROUGH-BOLTS BY UNKNOWN PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN A SUBSEQUENT FAILURE (SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL HALVES).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1644
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PENSACOLA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32524
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NAS SHERMAN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 17
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1740 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID NPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 17
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 1
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1108
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6166Y
NTSB Number MIA94LA149
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 65
Aircraft Series Identifier 65
Aircraft Serial Number LD388
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4417
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERKINS SMITH INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1050 SOUTH STATE ST.
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PERKINS SMITH INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1050 SOUTH STATE ST.
Operator City DOVER
Operator State DE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19901
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --