Luke Afb Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glendale, Arizona 85301
Thursday, October 2, 1997 15:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane's gear dug into soft sand after it departed the runway and the aircraft nosed over. In a postaccident examination of the aircraft, the pilot found a 5-inch cut in the tire and a 3-inch cut in the tube of the right main landing gear. The pilot believed that the cut occurred on takeoff from Del Rio, Texas. An FAA Inspector examined the aircraft, noted the cut and deflated tire, and also noted that the right main landing gear was deflated. The inspector also found corresponding skid marks on the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the aircraft due to the deflation of the right main gear tire. Factors in this accident were the soft sand on the side of the runway and the left crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/2/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GLENDALE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85301
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LUKE AFB
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LUF
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 1090
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1517
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N32JB
NTSB Number LAX98LA002
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 Blackwell
Aircraft Model MIDGET MUSTANG
Aircraft Series Identifier MIDGET MUS
Aircraft Serial Number 473
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 26 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 736
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LINK LAND TRUST
Aircraft Owner Street Address 51725 265TH RD.
Aircraft Owner City RAVENNA
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68869
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RODNEY L. LINK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 460
Operator City GIBBON
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 68840
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 DRT
Departure City DEL RIO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LUF
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 21R
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --