Alamogordo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310
Tuesady, March 6, 1990 19:03 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR MADE A LOUD NOISE DURING RETRACTION AND THE GEAR 'UNLOCKED' LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT OF THE AIR TAXI CARGO FLIGHT FLEW BY A CONTROL TOWER AT HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE FOR A VISUAL CHECK OF THE LANDING GEAR. TOWER PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE GEAR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE LOCKED DOWN. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FOLDED, THE PLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND CAME TO REST OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. A POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TORQUE TUBE BRACKET ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED AND RESULTED IN THE GEAR DOWN LOCK ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AS A RESULT OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE DOWN LOCK ASSEMBLY AND FAILURE OF THE TORQUE TUBE BRACKET ASSEMBLY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1903
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ALAMOGORDO
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88310
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALAMOGORDO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ALM
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 4197
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 586
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41548
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3128K
NTSB Number DEN90LA071
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 402B
Aircraft Series Identifier 402B
Aircraft Serial Number 402B-0301
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 11 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 6380
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEW MEXICO FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4396
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87196
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NEW MEXICO FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 4396
Operator City ALBUQUERQUE
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 87196
Operator Code
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CNM
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 21
Runway Length 7005
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --