Savannah Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savannah, Georgia 31408
Tuesady, July 16, 1991 20:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER FLT 4317 TOOK OFF, THE MAIN LNDG GEAR DID NOT RETRACT. THE FLT CREW ACCOMPLISHED THE EMERG CHECKLIST, EXTDD THE LNDG GEAR & MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED THAT THE RGT LNDG GEAR RETRACTION FITTING HAD FAILED & A HYDRAULIC LINE WAS SEVERED. ALSO, THE QUANTITY LIMITING VALVE(S) WERE CORRODED & THE RESPECTIVE PISTON MOVEMENT WAS RESTRICTED. SUBSEQUENTLY, BOTH HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS WERE DRAIN OF FLUID. AN EXAM OF THE FITTING ATTACHMENT BOLTS REVEALED THE TOP BOLT LOST TORQUE & THE BOLT FAILED IN FATIGUE; THE BOTTOM BOLTS FAILED IN OVERLOAD. ADNLY, THE FITTING SPIGOT FAILED DUE TO HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT; AN IMPROVED FITTING HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO CORRECT HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT PROBLEMS. THE OPER CONDUCTED A FLEET CAMPAIGN & FND 13 LOOSE BOLTS IN OTHER 100 SERIES ACFT. SVRL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES WERE ISSUED TO CORRECT THE LOSS OF TORQUE ON ATTACHMENT BOLTS, WHICH INCLUDED CHECKING THE TORQUE AT THE 300 HR LNDG GEAR INSPN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADEQUATE INSPECTION PROCEDURES WHICH ALLOWED THE LOSS OF TORQUE ON THE TOP RETRACTION FITTING ATTACHMENT BOLT WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED IN FATIGUE. FACTORS WERE THE LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID THROUGH A SEVERED LINE, AND THE CORROSION OF A HYDRAULIC QUANTITY LIMITING VALVE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2025
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SAVANNAH
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31408
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAVANNAH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAV
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 51
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1830 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 51
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 1100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 850
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5041
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46303
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N922HA
NTSB Number ATL91IA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-8-102
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-8-102
Aircraft Serial Number 094
Certified Max Gross Weight 34500
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 40
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 12 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 9081
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WESTINGHOUSE CREDIT CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address ONE OXFORD CENTER
Aircraft Owner City PITTSBURGH
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15219
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HENSON AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SALISBURY WICOMICO AIRPORT
Operator City SALISBURY
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 31801
Operator Code HNAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 49J
Departure City HILTON HEAD ISL
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2024
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JAX
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 27
Runway Length 9003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --