Sanford Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sanford, Florida 32771
Wednesday, December 19, 1990 18:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAM OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE DRAG LINK BOLT (AN4- 27) WHICH CONNECTS THE UPPER AND LOWER DRAG LINK ASSEMBLIES WAS WORN & FAILED AS A RESULT. ACCORDING TO THE ILLUSTRATED PARTS CATALOG REVISED NOVEMBER 1982 & SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS, A NAS464P4- 27 BOLT PART NUMBER 402 940, IS SPECIFIED. THE CHANGE WAS REPORTEDLY DUE TO A PRODUCTION CHANGE. ON 7/29/86, PIPER ACFT ISSUED A SERVICE LETTER ADVISING OWNERS OF SPECIFIED PA-44-180 ACFT OF A MODIFICATION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WHICH INCLUDES IN PART, REPLACEMENT OF THE DRAG LINK ASSEMBLY BOLT WITH THE NAS BOLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DURING THE LANDING ROLL DUE TO INADEQUATE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY AND FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DRAG LINK BOLT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SANFORD
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32771
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANFORD REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SFB
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 55
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1847 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SFB
Elevation of weather observation facility 55
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 5034
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1412
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44563
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3062H
NTSB Number MIA91IA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180
Aircraft Serial Number 44-7995165
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 14 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 2867
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COMAIR AVIATION ACADEMY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2700 FLIGHT LINE AVE.
Operator City SANFORD
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32773
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 6002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --