Orlando Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orlando, Florida 32814
Friday, July 29, 1994 12:24 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER HIS LANDING GEAR ON APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, BUT ONLY THE NOSE GEAR CAME DOWN. HE DIVERTED TO HIS COMPANY BASE AIRPORT AND ATTEMPTED ALL EMERGENCY GEAR LOWERING PROCEDURES WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITH THE NOSE GEAR DOWN AND THE MAINS RETRACTED. EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED THE NOSE GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR HYDRAULIC LINE WAS BENT AND HAD FAILED ALLOWING ALL HYDRAULIC FLUID TO VENT OVERBOARD. WITHOUT HYDRAULIC FLUID THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR PROCEDURES WILL NOT FUNCTION. IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHO INSTALLED THE FAILED LINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF A NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR HYDRAULIC LINE BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON THAT BENT IT AT INSTALLATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE LINE ALLOWING ALL HYDRAULIC FLUID TO VENT OVERBOARD DISABLING THE NORMAL AND EMERGENCY GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENSION SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1224
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ORLANDO
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32814
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 ORLANDO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 113
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1222 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORL
Elevation of weather observation facility 113
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1281
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1237
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N761VX
NTSB Number MIA94LA187
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210-M
Aircraft Series Identifier 210-M
Aircraft Serial Number 62563
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 20 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 11533
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHEROKEE AIR EXPRESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 140968
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32812
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code HZTA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TPA
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1024
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SRQ
Destination City SARASOTA
Destination State FL
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 25
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --