Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Potrero, California 91963
Monday, September 6, 1993 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The touchdown and initial ground roll were normal until the aircraft encountered a raised surface irregularity in the dirt airstrip. The nose wheel lifted after contact with the irregularity, and, when the nose wheel contacted the ground again, the landing gear collapsed. The aircraft nosed over. The nose wheel and fork assembly separated from the nose strut as the nose wheel was lifted off the airstrip by the irregularity. The upper torque link had failed at a point about one inch below the upper attach point. The aircraft was examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors who reported that the upper torque link fracture face exhibited overload characteristics with a clean appearance, and no discoloration or beach markings were evident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The overload failure of the upper nose gear torque link and the subsequent separation of the nose wheel and fork assembly from the nose gear strut. A factor in the accident was the surface irregularity in the dirt landing strip.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City POTRERO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91963
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 1200
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) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1124
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1107
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4847D
NTSB Number LAX93LA344
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 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 34947
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 12 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 3108
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C. J. BAGGET & D. P. MCRAE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9564 ABBEYFIELD ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SANTEE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92071
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID P. MCRAE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 440 CHAMBERS ST. #47
Operator City EL CAJON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92020
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SEE
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 851
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 9
Runway Length 1200
Runway Width 15
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --