Goose Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indian Trail, North Carolina 28079
Monday, August 27, 1990 19:12 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING SEVERAL FLIGHTS THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED LANDING GEAR INDICATOR PROBLEMS; HOWEVER, THERE HAD NOT BEEN A GEAR FAILURE. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT AGAIN EXPERIENCED AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND AS THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OUT, THE LEFT GEAR RETRACTED AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE OVER-CENTER LOCK WAS UNLOCKED. THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THIS FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE RUNWAY CONDITION WAS DESCRIBED AS ROUGH WITH SEVERAL POTHOLES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR MAY INADVERTENTLY RETRACT DURING OPERATION ON ROUGH TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO HAVE THE LANDING GEAR INSPECTED AFTER EXPERIENCING UNSAFE GEAR INDICATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1912
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City INDIAN TRAIL
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28079
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GOOSE CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 28A
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 573
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1120
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) 773
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1706
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41811
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3255R
NTSB Number ATL90LA166
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28
Aircraft Serial Number 28R31253
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 17 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3488
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAWKINS, KENNETH P
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2513 ELKWOOD CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City CHARLOTTE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAWKINS, PERRY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2513 ELKWOOD CIRCLE
Operator City CHARLOTTE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28205
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EQY
Departure City MONROE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 22
Runway Length 2350
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --