Billings Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Billings, Montana 59107
Sunday, February 6, 1994 18:53 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND NOTED THAT THE MAIN GEAR LIGHTS WENT OUT BUT THE GEAR LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT CYCLED THE GEAR WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THE PILOT SELECTED THE GEAR DOWN AND RETURNED FOR LANDING WITH A THREE GREEN INDICATION. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC STATED THAT DUE TO THE EXTREME LOW TEMP CONDITIONS THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR MAY HAVE FROZEN AND DID NOT ALLOW THE NOSE GEAR TO COMPLETE A FULL RANGE OF TRAVEL TO THE UP LOCK OR DOWN LOCK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR FROZE. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS TEMPERATURE EXTREMES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1853
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BILLINGS
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59107
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BILLINGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BIL
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 3649
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BIL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3649
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 Light
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2718Y
NTSB Number SEA94LA058
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 402C
Aircraft Series Identifier 402C
Aircraft Serial Number 402C0232
Certified Max Gross Weight 6850
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 4 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 20316
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BSE AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2244
Aircraft Owner City BILLINGS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59103
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BIG SKY TRANSPORTATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 31397
Operator City BILLINGS
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59107
Operator Code BSAA
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1835
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MLS
Destination City MILES CITY
Destination State MT
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 10L
Runway Length 10528
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --