William P. Hobby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 78550
Sunday, August 13, 1989 17:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING LANDING, UPON NOSE WHEEL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY HARD SURFACE AND CROSSED A DITCH COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. THE CREW STATED THAT FULL LEFT RUDDER AND DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING WOULD NOT STOP THE RIGHT DRIFT, AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN GRASS UNCONTROLLABLE BY THE TIME THE STEERING TILLER WAS REACHED. THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING SYSTEM WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY THE IMPACT SEQUENCE WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL WELL AFT BULKHEAD WAS FORCED INTO THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT IF HE HAD BEEN 'SPRING LOADED TO THE TILLER' THAT HE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY KEPT THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE GRASS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING SYSTEM FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S HESITATION REACHING FOR THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING TILLER. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN A DH-125.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78550
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLIAM P. HOBBY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOU
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 47
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
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 8
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1895
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40982
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66HA
NTSB Number FTW89LA146
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 HAWKER SIDDELEY
Aircraft Model DH-125-3A
Aircraft Series Identifier DH-125-3A
Aircraft Serial Number 25126
Certified Max Gross Weight 21700
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3966
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ASSOCIATED AIRCRAFT SALES, CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13807 S.E. MCLAUGHLIN BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City MILWAUKEE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97222
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKYTRAVEL INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8249 TRAVELAIR ST.
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77061
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SAV
Departure City SAVANNAH
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HOU
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12R
Runway Length 7601
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --