Port Columbus Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbus, Ohio 43219
Sunday, January 7, 1990 13:21 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING A LANDING ROLL. A WITNESS WHO OBSERVED THE AIPRLANE FLYING ON FINAL APPROACH REPORTED THAT THE NOSE WHEEL WAS CANTED TO THE LEFT APPROXIMATELY 60 DEGS. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAXI PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND STATED THE TURNING LIMITS OF THE NOSE WHEEL HAD BEEN EXCEEDED DURING GROUND HANDLING OPERATIONS. POST ACCIDENTS INSPECTION REVEALED A BROKEN STEERING LINK IN THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY AND A CRACKED GEAR STRUT HOUSING AT THE NOSE GEAR STEERING TRAVEL STOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH A NOSE GEAR STEERING PROBLEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/7/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1321
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COLUMBUS
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43219
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORT COLUMBUS INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CMH
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 816
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 816
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 2500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 981
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 7 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42203
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35ST
NTSB Number CHI90DEK03
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7654012
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 27 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 1333
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VANGUARD AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 430 N. 16 AVE. EAST
Aircraft Owner City DULUTH
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55812
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOWL, MARCUS E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2D RAD BN 2D SRI GP
Operator City CAMP LEJEUNE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28542
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 D36
Departure City DULUTH
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1005
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CMH
Destination City COLUMBUS
Destination State OH
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 28
Runway Length 10701
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --