Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
New Kent County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Quinton, Virginia 23141
Sunday, August 3, 1997 18:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was in cruise flight when he discovered that neither the radios nor the fuel gauges were operating. The airplane had flown approximately one hour on full fuel tanks. The pilot chose to make a precautionary landing at an airport 10 miles prior to his destination. The pilot stated that he lowered the landing gear '...and received what I thought was a safe gear indication.' Two witnesses stated they saw the airplane over the runway with the main landing gear out of the wheel wells, but not completely down and locked. Before they could advise the pilot over the radio, the airplane touched down. After touchdown, the main gear collapsed and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. In a written statement, the pilot said, 'During the flight, I didn't notice the low voltage light on the ammeter.' The examination of the airplane included a check of the battery voltage which showed 19.5 volts. This reading immediately dropped to 9 volts when the master switch was turned on. The gear warning horn operated when the throttle was retarded. The low voltage light illuminated, however it was difficult to see without shielding it from the sunlight. The battery was placed on a charger and the engine was started. The ammeter showed a positive charge, indicating the alternator was operating.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to identify an unsafe landing gear condition. A factor in the accident was the loss of electrical power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/3/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | QUINTON |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23141 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | NEW KENT COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W96 |
| 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 | 123 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1654 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 280 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RIC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 168 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1908 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 4 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 411 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 13 2001 1:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9647B |
| NTSB Number | NYC97LA158 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172 RG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172 RG |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172RG0943 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 14 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 77 |
| Airframe Hours | 2854 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BLUE WATER AVIATION |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3704 FARNSWORTH DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | CHESAPEAKE |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23321 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | MERCURY FLIGHT CENTER |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5192 WEST MILITARY HIGHWAY |
| Operator City | CHESAPEAKE |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 23321 |
| 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 | ORF |
| Departure City | NORFOLK |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1730 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RIC |
| Destination City | RICHMOND |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| 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 | 28 |
| Runway Length | 3600 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |