Monterey Peninsula Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monterey, California 93940
Wednesday, June 16, 1999 22:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and copilot reported that they were on approach and as they passed the outer marker, they observed three green lights indicating the landing gear was extended. They observed hydraulic pressure of about 1,000 psi during the landing checks. The pilot said he landed the airplane with a slight tailwind, observed two beta lights, and he pulled the power levers into ground idle/reverse. Shortly thereafter, he felt the left landing gear collapse and he observed one red unsafe light and two green landing gear lights, with a corresponding gear warning horn. Postaccident examination of the left main gear revealed that a piece was fractured from the inboard gear-forging boss, which houses a clevis for the attachment of the hydraulic cylinder. The clevis remained attached to the hydraulic cylinder, which in the fully extended position is consistent with gear down. Metallurgical examination of the fracture faces revealed features typical of overstress separation. No pre-existing cracks or other defects were found on the fracture. A review of the Commander maintenance manual indicates that an adjustment must be made to the cylinder over travel following gear maintenance to obtain the proper drag brace preload. The left hand hydraulic cylinder, main landing gear aft wheel well door, and hydraulic components were replaced about 34 hours before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of maintenance personnel to properly adjust the drag brace preload during recent landing gear maintenance, which resulted in the overload failure and separation of the hydraulic cylinder attach boss.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2200
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MONTEREY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93940
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 MONTEREY PENINSULA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KMRY
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 254
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2154 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MRY
Elevation of weather observation facility 254
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1697
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 941
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2001 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N480K
NTSB Number LAX99LA241
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 Rockwell
Aircraft Model 690B
Aircraft Series Identifier 690B
Aircraft Serial Number 11543
Certified Max Gross Weight 10325
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 3 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 4687
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NATHAN THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9195 GUNBARREL RIDGE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80301
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 48V
Departure City TRI-COUNTY
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MRY
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 14 2001 10:24AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10R
Runway Length 7600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --