Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Phoenix, Arizona 85034
Tuesady, October 15, 1996 3:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during flight, the nose gear dropped from the wheel well, he noted the hydraulic pressure had dropped to 600 psi, & the landing gear in-transit light illuminated. He said he accomplished emergency procedures, but was unable get the main landing gear to lock in the down position. The main landing gear collapsed during touchdown, & the belly of the airplane was damaged. The brake & landing gear systems were powered by 2 engine driven pumps (1 on each engine) & an auxillary (electrical) pump. For backup operation, gas pressure from an emergency nitrogen storage cylinder was continuously provided to a 2nd set of main gear actuators to provide pressure for main gear extension. During gear retraction, nitrogen was compressed back into the nitrogen cylinder. During extension, hydraulic pressure & nitrogen pressure work together to extend the main gear. After the accident, a hydraulic fluid leak was found at a hydraulic line fitting on the right main landing gear brake system, but no other leak was found. The leak was repaired, & the landing gear was functionally checked; the retraction & extension cycle functioned normally, & no system fault was found. No reason was found to explain why gas pressure from the emergency nitrogen storage cylinder did not lock the main gear in the down position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the main landing gear to fully engage in the down-and-locked position for undetermined reason(s). Loss of hydraulic pressure to the main gear for undetermined reasons(s) was a related factor.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/15/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 300 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | PHOENIX |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85034 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | PHOENIX SKY HARBOR |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PHX |
| 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 | 1133 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 256 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1133 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1778 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 15 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 320 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:25AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N15VZ |
| NTSB Number | LAX97LA019 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aero Commander |
| Aircraft Model | 690 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 690 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 11035 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 10250 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 35 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AERO SYSTEMS, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2580 SOUTH MAIN STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | ERIE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80516 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | SUN WEST AVIATION |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3909 S. AIRPORT ROAD |
| Operator City | OGDEN |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 84405 |
| Operator Code | DFQR |
| 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 | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SOW |
| Departure City | SHOW LOW |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 158 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | PHX |
| 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 | 26R |
| Runway Length | 11001 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Discretionary |