Northway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Northway, Alaska 99764
Thursday, July 7, 1994 13:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FOLLOWING THE PLANE'S DIVERGENCE FROM THE RUNWAY HEADING ON INITIAL ROLLOUT DURING GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. FAA INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE WELDS TO THE LANDING GEAR LONGERON FITTINGS DID NOT HAVE PROPER PENETRATION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FITTINGS WERE INSTALLED BY AN FAA REPAIR STATION WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPAIRED AFTER AN ACCIDENT APPROXIMATELY 300 FLIGHT HOURS PREVIOUS TO THIS OCCURRENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT FITTINGS AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER WELDS BY THE MAINTENANCE REPAIR FACILITY. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT THAT PRECIPITATED THE GEAR FAILURE WERE THE WIND GUSTS, AND THE PILOT NOT ADEQUATELY COMPENSATING FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS WHICH INDUCED HEAVY SIDE LOADS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone --
Event City NORTHWAY
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99764
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NORTHWAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORT
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 1716
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1716
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 858
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9808M
NTSB Number ANC94LA076
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MAULE
Aircraft Model M-4-210
Aircraft Series Identifier M-4-210
Aircraft Serial Number 1041
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMITH, STEPHEN W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1087 N.E. THOMAS STREET
Aircraft Owner City HILLSBORO
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97124
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH, STEPHEN W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1087 N.E. THOMAS STREET
Operator City HILLSBORO
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97124
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MRI
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1010
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 5100
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --