William J. Fox Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, California 93534
Sunday, August 30, 1987 12:53 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) RPRTD THAT HE HEARD A LOUD BANG DURING GEAR RETRACTION AFTER TAKEOFF. BY USING THE CONVEX MIRRORS MOUNTED ON THE TIP TANKS, HE DETERMINED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS HANGING. HE CYCLED THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT MOVE. THE PIC STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A SMOOTH SECTION OF GROUND WHICH WAS THE APPROACH TO RWY 24. HE STATED THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR SWUNG INTO ITS WHEEL WELL, BUT THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT THEN TURNED TO THE LEFT & THE RGT MAIN GEAR FAILED FROM SIDE LOADING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP WITH BOTH TIP TANKS BROKEN OFF. AN EXAM REVEALED THE NOSE GEAR ROD END LINK THAT CONNECTED TO THE LANDING GEAR TRANSMISSION GEARBOX HAD FRACTURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1253
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LANCASTER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93534
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLIAM J. FOX
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WJF
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 2347
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID WJF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2421
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1312
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36420
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39DD
NTSB Number LAX87LA328
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310D
Aircraft Series Identifier 310D
Aircraft Serial Number 39140
Certified Max Gross Weight 4830
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 17 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 130
Airframe Hours 6000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRY H. RICHARDSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 513 WEST AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City LANCASTER
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93534
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code WJF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1220
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O17
Destination City GRASS VALLEY
Destination State CA
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 24
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --