Teterboro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Teteboro, New Jersey 07608
Sunday, October 4, 1998 18:04 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane landed on the runway at the completion of a training flight. During the landing roll the nose gear collapsed. The airplane lost directional control, departed the left side of the runway, and collided with signs before coming to rest in the grass. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA Inspector revealed damage to the bungee assembly of the down lock link assembly, which did not allow the overcenter link to lock the gear down. In a written statement, the Inspector said,...'Bungee [assembly]...failed at rod end...not allowing overcenter link to lock gear down. This was due to possible hard landing prior to this flight bending bungee rod [assembly].'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the collapse of the landing gear due to a bent gear locking mechanism for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1804
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TETEBORO
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07608
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TETERBORO AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TEB
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TEB
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1679
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1025U
NTSB Number IAD99LA003
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
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7250005
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 4415
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VEC CORPORATION OF DELAWARE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 241 MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City HACKENSACK
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07601
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TEB
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 1
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --