Montague-Yreka Rohrer Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montague, California 96064
Saturday, May 6, 1989 9:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE REPLACEMENT ON THE LANDING GEAR TRANSMISSION AND MAINTENANCE ON THE GEAR SYSTEM. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RAISED FROM THE RUNWAY, THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED MANUALLY. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE GEAR MOTOR WAS BINDING BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND GEAR MOTOR. THIS AIRPLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL EXTENSION SYSTEM THAT ALSO SERVES AS A SECONDARY GEAR POSITION INDICATOR. IF THE LANDING GEAR IS MOVING BY ELECTRICAL ACTUATION, THE MANUAL EXTENSION SYSTEM IS ALSO MOVING AT THE SAME TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR BECAUSE OF INATTENTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH FAILED TO REPAIR THE LANDING GEAR WARNING THROTTLE POSITION SWITCH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MONTAGUE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96064
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 MONTAGUE-YREKA ROHRER FLD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 105
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 2527
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 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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 706
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40210
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N550V
NTSB Number LAX89LA183
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-24
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3078
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 147
Airframe Hours 4387
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AUTOWORD SLAES & LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 102 OAK KNOLL DR.
Aircraft Owner City SANTA CRUZ
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95060
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAMUAL POWELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1280 TROUT GULCH
Operator City ATTOS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95003
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 WVI
Departure City WATSONVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 105
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 32
Runway Length 3360
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --