Homestead General Aviatio Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Homestead, Florida 33013
Wednesday, September 2, 1992 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLIGHT EXPERIENCED COLLAPSE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. THE PILOT/MECHANIC REPORTED THE STRUT HOUSING HAD CRACKED AND FAILED JUST BELOW THE POINT THE TRUNION WEB ENDS. PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION SERVICE BULLETIN 787A, DATED AUGUST 15, 1985, REQUIRES INSPECTION OF THE LANDING GEAR HOUSING JUST BELOW THE TRUNION WEB FOR CRACKS EACH 100 HOURS. IF A NEW LANDING GEAR STRUT HOUSING IS INSTALLED IN WHICH THE TRUNION WEB EXTENDS THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSING THE INSPECTION IS NOT REQUIRED. NO RECORD OF COMPLIANCE WITH SERVICE BULLETIN 787A WAS FOUND IN THE LOGBOOKS FOR N975DA. ON JUNE 22, 1990, THE NTSB ISSUED SAFETY RECOMMENDATION A-90-92 TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, RECOMMENDING THAT PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN 787A BE MADE MANDATORY BY ISSUANCE OF AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH A SERVICE BULLETIN, WHICH ALLOWED A CRACKED LANDING GEAR HOUSING TO GO UNDETECTED, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HOMESTEAD
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33013
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOMESTEAD GENERAL AVIATIO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X51
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 9
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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) 2827
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 3 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47612
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N975DA
NTSB Number MIA92LA172
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-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7250216
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 9 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 4900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AVIATION ENTERPRISES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 706 ANCHOR WAY
Aircraft Owner City SANIBEL
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33957
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN OKLESEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 28000 A-15 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City PUNTA GORDA
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33982
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 PGD
Departure City PUNTA GORDA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --