Hector International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fargo, North Dakota 58102
Friday, May 17, 1996 8:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on short final to land, the pilot-in-command landed with the nose landing gear still in the uplocked position. The maintenance logbook indicates several undetermined nose gear uplock conditions that the flight crews had to lower the nose gear by free falling it. All flights were uneventful up until this flight. A transcript of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), indicated that the before landing checklist was not completed correctly. The landing gear challenge and reply checklist was recorded as saying landing gear coming down, with a horn beeping in the background. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) says, landing gear--down, with no report of three green down and locked lights.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the flight crew did not comply with the gear down and lock checklist. The factors were a jammed nose gear and inattentive preflight planning/preparations by the pilot-in-command.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FARGO
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58102
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HECTOR INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KFAR
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 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 800 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1921
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1408
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 17 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2107
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N229AM
NTSB Number CHI96LA162
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 Swearingen
Aircraft Model SA226TC
Aircraft Series Identifier SA226TC
Aircraft Serial Number 305
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 2 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 27839
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GAS WILSON, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 430 TELSER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LAKE ZURICH
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60047
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRVANTAGE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6201 34TH AVENUE SOUTH
Operator City MINNEAPOLIS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60185
Operator Code BDHA
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MSP
Departure City MINNEAPOLIS
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 649
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FAR
Destination City
Destination State ND
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 17
Runway Length 9546
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --