Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
Monday, April 6, 1998 10:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot smelled a fragrance similar to solvent in cruise flight. A short time later, the gear warning light illuminated, went out, repeated the sequence, and then remained on continuously. The tower was made aware of the situation and a flyby was conducted. Attempts to lower all three landing gear with a safe gear indication was unsuccessful. On landing rollout the left main landing gear collapsed. Examination revealed that the left main landing gear would not fully extend. The O-rings in the hydraulic cylinder failed, and hydraulic fluid had leaked out.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the O-rings in the landing gear hydraulic cylinder.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FORT LAUDERDALE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33309
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FXE
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 14
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1014 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FXE
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 53
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 6 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8269A
NTSB Number MIA98LA125
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 10 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 2468
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name N862A INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 777E. ATLANTIC AVE SUITE 303
Aircraft Owner City DELRAY BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33483
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID C. SALTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 2
Operator City ELEUTHERA
Operator State OF
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 MYEM
Departure City ELEUTHERA
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FXE
Destination City
Destination State FL
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 6
Runway Length 6001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --