Hector Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fargo, North Dakota 58100
Sunday, May 25, 1986 20:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTS THAT HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR AFTER DEPARTURE BUT IT DID RETRACT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. HE SAID THE GEAR SYSTEM SEEMED TO BE HANGING UP. UPON REACHING DESTINATION THE GEAR AGAIN SEEMED TO HANG UP WHEN EXTENSION WAS ATTEMPTED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR THE GEAR HANDLE BROKE OFF AND ALL FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND THE GEAR WERE FUTILE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2005
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FARGO
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58100
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HECTOR FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FAR
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 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2000 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
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 4000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31318
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6519B
NTSB Number DEN86LA145
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20
Aircraft Series Identifier M20
Aircraft Serial Number 1186
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Jan 13 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 4112
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 FRANCIS B. HILLARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O.BOX 7153
Operator City FARGO
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58103
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 GFK
Departure City GRAND FORKS
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 4267
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --