Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701
Friday, January 24, 1997 15:21 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The Cessna Citation III had completed a passenger pickup and was on the return leg to the departure airport. The airplane was established on the ILS approach to runway 04, and the pilot held about a 20 degree right wind drift correction to maintain the airplane on the localizer course. The landing checks were completed and three green landing gear indicator lights were observed. The airplane touched down in the first 1,000 feet of the runway, bounced, and touched down about 300 to 400 feet further down the runway. About 500 feet after the second touchdown, the left landing gear collapsed, and the airplane was stopped on the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact failures. Examination of the main landing gear actuator revealed the end of the piston was severed at the rod end attachment point and bent at an angle of approximately 20 degrees. The airplane's maximum demonstrated landing crosswind component was 25 knots. Winds reported at the airport were from 120 degrees at 25 knots. The pilot's total accumulated flight experience was 7,120 hours, with 52 hours in make and model, of which 3 hours were in the preceding 30 days.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The collapse of the left main landing gear as a result of the malfunction of the downlock actuator for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/24/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1521
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WILKES-BARRE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18701
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AVP
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 963
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1523 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AVP
Elevation of weather observation facility 963
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 738
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 25 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N777LF
NTSB Number NYC97LA047
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 650
Aircraft Series Identifier 650
Aircraft Serial Number 650-0034
Certified Max Gross Weight 21000
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 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 4459
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name US FOODSERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 613 BALTIMORE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City WILKES-BARRE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18702
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DCA
Departure City WASHINGTON
Departure State DC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code AVP
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 7501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --