Miami Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33166
Friday, May 5, 1989 23:07 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER THE ACFT HAD TOUCHED DOWN & ROLLED APRX 400 TO 600 FT, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUNNION HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THRU THE BARREL NEXT TO THE LOWER END OF THE FILLET. A METALLURGICAL EXAM SHOWED THE FATIGUE HAD ORIGINATED AT THE BASE OF A GRINDING MARK. SEVERAL SECONDARY CRACKS WERE ALSO FOUND WHICH ORIGINATED FROM GRINDING MARKS NEXT TO THE FATIGUE FRACTURE. THE AIRPLANE LOGBOOK SHOWED THE TRUNNION HAD BEEN INSPECTED AT THE LAST 100 HR INSPECTION IAW PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN (S/B) #787A. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN ABOUT 80 HRS SINCE THAT INSPECTION. THE S/B REQUIRMENT WAS TO 'PROPERLY CLEAN THE TRUNNION HOUSING OF DIRT AND PAINT AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE HOUSING FOR CRACKS WITH A 10 POWER GLASS AT THE LOWER END OF THE FILLET.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUNNION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS: INADEQUATE INSPECTION PROCEDURE IN PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN #787A.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2307
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIAMI
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33166
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 MIAMI INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MIA
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 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5019
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 811
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40444
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 N859SC
NTSB Number MIA89IA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 34-8070303
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 26 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 2323
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOLPHIN AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 13005
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34278
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GULF FLIGHT CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 13005
Operator City SARASOTA
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 34278
Operator Code EDGA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SRQ
Departure City SARASOTA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9L
Runway Length 10500
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --