Tupelo Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tupelo, Mississippi 38801
Sunday, June 23, 1991 17:22 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT MADE SHARP RIGHT TURN AND DEPARTED RUNWAY WHEN NOSE STEERING WAS ACTIVATED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE NOSE STEERING ACTUATOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE UNIT'S ARMING VALVE WAS BACKED OUT AND NOT SECURED BY A REQUIRED SET SCREW. THE SEATS FOR THE VALVE WERE THE INCORRECT SEATS. THESE TWO FINDINGS CAUSED THE ACTUATOR TO HAVE INTERNAL LEAKAGE WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE ACTUATOR. LOGBOOK RECORDS INDICATED THE ARMING VALVE WAS CHANGED BY A MECHANIC IN THE FIELD IN SEPTEMBER 1988, 401 FLT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. IN APRIL 1989, FAIRCHILD AIRCRAFT ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT REQUIRED THE ACTUATOR BE RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE ARMING VALVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE NOSE STEERING ACTUATOR ARMING VALVE BY A MECHANIC WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF THE ACTUATOR AND ON GROUND LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT DURING LANDING ROLLOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1722
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TUPELO
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38801
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TUPELO MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TUP
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 346
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1722 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID TUP
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1093
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44031
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13JV
NTSB Number MIA91LA167
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SWEARINGEN
Aircraft Model SA227-TT
Aircraft Series Identifier SA227-TT
Aircraft Serial Number TT512A
Certified Max Gross Weight 13200
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection May 15 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 1241
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID G. CHASE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 402 WASHINGTON STREET
Aircraft Owner City BOONESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38829
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID G. CHASE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 402 WASHINGTON STREET
Operator City BOONESVILLE
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38829
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 FPR
Departure City FT. PIERCE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 5499
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --