Minneapolis/St. Paul Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
Wednesday, September 17, 1986 19:58 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE END OF AN UNEVENTFUL FLIGHT THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND NOTED THREE GEAR DOWN INDICATOR LIGHTS. UPON LANDING ROLLOUT THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INSPECTION FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT A HYDRAULIC LEAK WAS PRESENT NEAR THE HYDRAULIC POWER PACK. THE HYDRAULIC RESERVOIR (WHICH NORMALLY HOLDS 54 OZ OF FLUID) WAS REFILLED WITH 42 OZ OF FLUID. THERE IS NO HYDRAULIC FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR IN THE COCKPIT OF THIS AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1958
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ST. PAUL
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55101
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MSP
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 841
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1952 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1711
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32142
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N707HB
NTSB Number CHI86LA228
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-310
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-310
Aircraft Serial Number 31-40
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 15 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TARNOWSKI SALES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18640 34TH AVE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City PLYMOUTH
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55447
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTHLAND AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address CRYSTAL AIRPORT
Operator City CRYSTAL
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55429
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 ABR
Departure City ABERDEEN
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone CST
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 11R
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --