Tatitlek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tatitlek, Alaska 99677
Wednesday, May 10, 1989 14:55 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE GRAVEL RUNWAY AND BEGAN TO APPLY BRAKES. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND THE PILOT RELEASED THE BRAKES AND USED ASYMMETRIC POWER AND BRAKING, BUT THE AIRPLANE STILL LEFT THE RUNWAY ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A SMALL WASHER PLACED BENEATH THE BOLT HEAD, WHICH HOLDS THE UPPER AND LOWER SCISSORS ASSEMBLY TOGETHER, HAD PULLED THROUGH ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR ALLOWING THE LOWER HALF OF THE MAIN GEAR TO PIVOT FREELY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INSTALLATION OF THE IMPROPER WASHER ON THE SCISSORS ASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE EXTRA FORCES ENCOUNTEREDON A GRAVEL RUNWAY WERE SUFFICIENT TO PULL THE BUSHING, WASHER, AND BOLT THROUGH THE SCISSORS ASSEMBLY AND ALLOWING THE LOWER HALF TO PIVOT FREELY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1455
Event Time Zone --
Event City TATITLEK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99677
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TATITLEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AK47
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 25
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 695
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40201
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N966JW
NTSB Number ANC89FA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model C-402
Aircraft Series Identifier C-402
Aircraft Serial Number 4020066
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 8881
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH & ANNE WILBUR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1740 E 5TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILBURS INCORPORATED
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1740 EAST 5TH AVE
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99501
Operator Code ESAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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 Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MRI
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AK47
Destination City TATITLEK
Destination State AK
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 12
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 95
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --