Pensacola Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pensacola, Florida 32504
Friday, October 6, 1989 17:52 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT, THE LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR & COMPONENTS OF THE LANDING GEAR WERE REPLACED & THE GEAR RIGGING WAS CHECKED. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN ON SEVERAL LEGS. AFTER GEAR EXTENSION, THE OWNER HEARD A POPPING NOISE, THOUGH THE GEAR EXTENDED NORMALLY. MAINT FACILITY PRESIDENT ADVISED IT WAS NORMAL. THE FLT DEPARTED & EN ROUTE WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT AFTER EXTENDING THE LANDING GEAR, THE SAME NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. ACFT WAS FERRIED TO A FACILITY FOR REPAIRS. EXAM OF THE LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR SUPPORT BRACKET FAILED IN TENSION OVERLOAD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER RIGGING OF THE LANDING GEAR WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERLOAD FAILURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1752
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PENSACOLA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32504
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PENSACOLA REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PNS
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 121
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1749 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 121
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 1400
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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) 5052
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2024
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40722
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52DB
NTSB Number MIA90IA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 22-1399
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Aug 25 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 2033
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ECKLES, ALFRED H.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 595 AUTEC ANDROS ISL.
Aircraft Owner City FPO MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34058
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 VNC
Departure City VENICE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1552
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 16
Runway Length 7002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --