Jackson Hole Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jackson, Wyoming 83001
Tuesady, June 18, 1996 19:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As the pilot approached his destination, the landing gear 'transition' light illuminated indicating operation of the hydraulic pump, although the landing gear was still retracted. When the pilot lowered the landing gear, they failed to extend. He then manually lowered the gear, but was unable to obtain green 'down and locked' indicator lights for the main gear. During the landing, the main gear collapsed, and the aircraft impacted several runway lights. Postcrash examination revealed that the electrically driven hydraulic pump had burned out. Additionally, the over-center downlock springs, which were to assist in manually locking the gear into a down-and-locked condition during manual extension, had never been installed by the builder/previous owner.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the electrically driven hydraulic pump; and the absence of the main landing gear over-center downlock springs, which were not installed by the previous owner/builder.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City JACKSON
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83001
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JACKSON HOLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JAC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6445
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1915 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID JAC
Elevation of weather observation facility 6445
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
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) 950
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1947
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N538AJ
NTSB Number SEA96LA126
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PRICE
Aircraft Model BERKUT
Aircraft Series Identifier BERKUT
Aircraft Serial Number 011
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 46
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIELS, JOHN, R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 842 NORTH LAS CASAS AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City PAC. PALISADES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90272
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 SUX
Departure City SIOUX CITY
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JAC
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 18
Runway Length 6299
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --