St Augustine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St Augustine, Florida 32084
Wednesday, August 23, 1989 19:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED TO THE DOWN & LOCKED PSN WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. ALSO, A PLT IN ANOTHER ACFT BEHIND THE PA-44 NOTED THAT THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED. HOWEVER,AS THE ACFT WAS LANDED, IT SETTLED TO THE RWY & SUBSEQUENTLY STOPPED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THE CFI RPRTD THERE WAS NO WARNING HORN OR LIGHTS DURING THE APCH. AFTER THE ACFT WAS RAISED FROM THE RWY, THE WARNING HORN OPERATED NORMALLY. ALSO, THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY DURING A RETRACTION TEST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADVERTENT RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST AUGUSTINE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32084
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 ST AUGUSTINE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SGJ
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 1955 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 338
Weather Observation Facility ID CRG
Elevation of weather observation facility 41
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 1
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) 1162
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2120
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39313
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8517D
NTSB Number MIA89LA230
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-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180
Aircraft Serial Number 44-799-5312
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FIRST COAST FLIGHT CENTER, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. DRAWER 1989
Operator City ST. AUGUSTINE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32085
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1809
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 6947
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --