Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32124
Wednesday, May 5, 1993 14:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE DRAG LINK ASSEMBLY BOLT FAILED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE BOLT REVEALED THAT IT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. REVIEW OF THE AIRFRAME LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT THE BOLT AND ASSOCIATED BUSHINGS HAD BEEN REPLAED ON MARCH 17, 1993. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 36 HOURS SINCE THE BOLT REPLACEMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE DRAG LINK ASSEMBLY BOLT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/5/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32124
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRUCE CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 44J
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 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 14 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50228
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21427
NTSB Number MIA93IA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180
Aircraft Serial Number 44-7995050
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 18 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 3451
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SPRUCE CREEK AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 BEECH BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City DAYTONA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32124
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SPRUCE CREEK AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1 BEECH BLVD.
Operator City DAYTONA BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32124
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 44J
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 23
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --