Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moline, Illinois 61265
Monday, April 3, 1995 15:52 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilots reported that during the approach to the destination airport, the left inboard roll spoiler jammed in the partially deployed position. The airplane landed without further incident. Postincident examination revealed that the fusion welded plug in the piston of the roll spoiler servoactuator had separated. The manufacturer reported that there was one previous failure of a welded plug in a servoactuator piston. They have since changed the design of the piston to eliminate the welded plug.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the defective weld and the subsequent in flight failure of the welded plug located in the piston of the roll spoiler actuator. The manufacturer's inadequate design is a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/3/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1552
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MOLINE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61265
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
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) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 20
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5041
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N828MA
NTSB Number CHI95IA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-8-102
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-8-102
Aircraft Serial Number 333
Certified Max Gross Weight 34500
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 40
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 26 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 5849
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAINIER AIRCRAFT LEASING, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7755 EAST MARGINAL WAY
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98109
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MESABA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7501 26TH AVENUE SOUTH
Operator City MINNEAPOLIS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55450
Operator Code MALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MSP
Departure City MINNEAPOLIS
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1438
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MLI
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --