Crawford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Cruces, New Mexico 88004
Saturday, December 19, 1987 13:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE PRACTICING CROSSWIND LANDINGS THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY WITH APRX 5 KNOT CROSSWIND. UPON TOUCH DOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO FIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INBD RETENTION BOLT HAD FAILED CAUSING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY TO SEPARATE FROM THE ACFT. METALLURGIST EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN BOLT REVEALED EVIDENCE OF A PROGRESSIVE FAILURE. THE BOLT WAS PIPER PART NUMBER 402 742.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/19/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City LAS CRUCES
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88004
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CRAWFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LRU
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 4454
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3956
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4200
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) 2046
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 19 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1405
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35608
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23497
NTSB Number DEN88LA039
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-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-81A0145
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1835
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWEST AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address LAS CRUCES MUN. ARPT. BOX 387
Aircraft Owner City FAIRACRES
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88033
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WAIDE P. NOEL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1701 N. VALLEY #52
Operator City LAS CRUCES
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 88006
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 LRU
Departure City LAS CRUCES
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LRU
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 30
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --