Palm Beach Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

W.Palm Beach, Florida 33406
Wednesday, September 16, 1987 3:32 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT ON LANDING AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 1000 FT. THE SCISSORS ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT DISCONNECTED CAUSING THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO ROTATE & SKID. HE THEN APPLIED HEAVY LEFT BRAKE TO KEEP THE ACFT STRAIGHT ON THE RUNWAY, BUT THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR LINK FAILED CAUSING THE WHEEL TO ROTATE 90 DEGREES, SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSING THE MAIN GEAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 332
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City W.PALM BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33406
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALM BEACH INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PBI
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 19
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 439 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1100
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) 5045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34876
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9784Q
NTSB Number MIA87IA246
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-60
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-60
Aircraft Serial Number 60416143
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 8 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 5670
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOP FLIGHT SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 9 BOX 14B
Aircraft Owner City TAMPA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33610
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TOP FLIGHT SERVICE,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 9, BOX 14B
Operator City TAMPA
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33610
Operator Code
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 Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MIA
Departure City MIAMI
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 305
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 7991
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --