Florence Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Florence, South Carolina 29501
Friday, January 15, 1988 19:48 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LEFT MAIN LDG GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, FOLLOWING A TOUCH & GO LDG. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY VEERED INTO A SNOWBANK. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MLG TRUSS BRACKET ASSY HAD PULLED LOOSE FROM THE ACFT STRUCTURE AND THAT TWO OF THE LOWER MOUNTING BOLTS WERE MISSING. THE CORRESPONDING BOLT HOLES IN THE BRACKET AND IN THE ACFT STRUCTURE EXHIBITED NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. EXAM OF THE ACFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED NO ENTRIES WITH REGARD TO ANY WORK PERFORMED ON THE TRUSS BRACKET ASSY. THE CFI RPTD THAT SHE AND HER STUDENT HAD FELT A 'BUMP' FROM THE LEFT GEAR WHILE LANDING AT ANOTHER ARPT EARLIER THAT EVENING. SHE EXAMINED THE GEAR PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE ARPT, BUT FOUND NOTHING 'UNUSUAL', EXCEPT THAT THE ACFT SEEMED LOWER ON THE LEFT SIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1948
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FLORENCE
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29501
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLORENCE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLO
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 147
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 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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 542
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 15 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2124
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36362
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N268NA
NTSB Number ATL88LA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
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 448195010
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 15 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 6783
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name N. AMER. INSTITUTE OF AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address CONWAY-HORRY COUNTY AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City CONWAY
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29526
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NO. AMER.INSTITUTE OF AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address CONWAY-HORRY COUNTY AIRPORT
Operator City CONWAY
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29526
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 No
Departure Airport Code CAE
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 9
Runway Length 6498
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --