Walker Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Colorado 81506
Saturday, October 17, 1992 19:11 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHEN THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR, THE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT MADE A LOW PASS AND CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL ADVISED HIM THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. WHEN THE AIRPLANE LANDED, IT SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE UPPER DRAG STRUT BRACKET WAS BROKEN. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FRACTURED PIECES 'EXHIBITED FEATURES TYPICAL OF FATIGUE CRACKING' AT MULTIPLE POINTS OF ORIGIN AND 'OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR UPPER DRAG STRUT BRACKET DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1911
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRAND JUNCTION
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81506
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WALKER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GJT
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 4858
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5845
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) 786
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48250
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14695
NTSB Number DEN93LA006
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 74-30688
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
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 Jul 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 113
Airframe Hours 2540
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLASSIC WINGS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3657 URAVAN STREET
Aircraft Owner City AURORA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80013
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLASSIC WINGS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3657 URAVAN STREET
Operator City AURORA
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80013
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 TVY
Departure City TOOELE
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1740
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 29
Runway Length 10501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --