Kirsch Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sturgis, Michigan 49091
Thursday, August 27, 1998 18:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 6 and when the airspeed was below 140 knots, he lowered the gear, and put the flaps down. He looked at the landing gear mirror and saw that the left main gear did not look right. The gear position indicator lights were all green, indicating the gear was down and locked. The pilot aborted the approach and climbed out to the west of the airport. The pilot recycled the gear 4 to 5 times. He could get the left gear to swing, but could not get it all the way down into the locked position. The pilot executed a low approach over the field to have the gear configuration verified by people on the ground. After an hour in the air, the pilot retracted the gear and belly-landed the airplane on runway 18. Examination of the left main landing gear revealed that the left main landing gear saddle was cracked through. No other anomalies were found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the cracked left main landing gear saddle, resulting in the pilot's inability to get the gear into the down and locked position.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STURGIS
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49091
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KIRSCH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IRS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 925
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1815 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID IRS
Elevation of weather observation facility 925
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2237
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) 922
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N524BL
NTSB Number CHI98LA341
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 210D
Aircraft Series Identifier 210D
Aircraft Serial Number 21058477
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Nov 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 5381
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHAWN AVRA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 383 W. CHICAGO ROAD
Aircraft Owner City COLDWATER
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49036
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D96
Departure City COLDWATER
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IRS
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 18
Runway Length 5699
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --