Mineral County Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Creede, Colorado 81130
Friday, June 25, 1999 13:17 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor said the airplane felt like it was being pushed down onto the runway. As power was added, the airplane touched down 'approximately 90 KIAS (a loss of 10 to 15 knots indicating a shear)' and there was a loud 'bang.' The airplane became airborne momentarily, then touched down again. The airplane departed the right side of the runway on its nose and left main landing gear. The owner-pilot receiving instruction said 'the bottom fell out and a moderately hard landing was made on the main gear. A pilot who witnessed the accident landed hard moments before. He said he had encountered a 'vertical wind shear.' He saw a large puff of blue gray smoke come out from beneath the right wing, followed by the tumbling right main gear. Metallurgical examination of the right scissors torque link disclosed multiple fractures and a crack in the upper link. The fractures were 'typical of fatigue cracking,' originating from 'multiple sites.' There was also corrosion pitting. Two other fracture sites were 'indicative of overstress.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Overload failure of the right main landing gear scissors torque link precipitated by preexisting fatigue fractures. A factor was wind shear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1317
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CREEDE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81130
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MINERAL COUNTY MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q39
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 8680
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1171
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N221NC
NTSB Number DEN99LA108
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 Beech
Aircraft Model B90
Aircraft Series Identifier B90
Aircraft Serial Number LJ-393
Certified Max Gross Weight 9650
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 7 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 189
Airframe Hours 8716
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STONE AVIATION, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4801 JOHN CARRELL RD.
Aircraft Owner City DENTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76207
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PWA
Departure City OKLAHOMA CITY
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code Q39
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 6880
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --