Oakland Pontiac Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pontiac, Michigan 48054
Sunday, February 18, 1990 8:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND DUAL INSTRUMENT STUDENT WERE TAXIING FROM THE RAMP TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR BOLTS ON THE LEFT GEAR HAD FAILED. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THEY WERE TAXIING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON A SMOOTH, PAVED SURFACE, AND MOVING AT A NORMAL TAXI RATE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FAILURES APPEARED TO BE DUE TO OVERLOAD; THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A PREVIOUS HARD LANDING IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACH BOLTS FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PONTIAC
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48054
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OAKLAND PONTIAC
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 980
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 846 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 428
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41363
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8394D
NTSB Number CHI90LA085
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8116238
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 2 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3215
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL D. KEITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5149 KINGFIELD CT.
Aircraft Owner City WEST BLOOMFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48033
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRADEWINDS AVIATION, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6320 HIGHLAND ROAD
Operator City PONTIAC
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48033
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 PTK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FNT
Destination City FLINT
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --