Grafton Muni. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grafton, North Dakota 58237
Wednesday, October 8, 1986 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT MADE FORCED LANDING ON DIRT ROAD SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENG REPORTEDLY LOST POWER. PLT EXTENDED LANDING GEAR BUT ACFT TOUCHED DOWN BEFORE GEAR LOCKED AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. LEFT WING ALSO STRUCK A MAILBOX DURING ROLLOUT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A GUMMY RESIDUE ON TURBO WASTE GATE CONTROL, PRECLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF FULL POWER. ADDITIONALLY, TIRES WERE REPORTED TO BE UNDER-INFLATED, CAUSING HIGHER FRICTIONAL DRAG. THE PLT SAID THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL WAS NOT ABNORMALLY LONG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/8/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAFTON
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58237
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRAFTON MUNI.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GAF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1186
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1213
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31545
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 N8125H
NTSB Number DEN87LA004
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-32R-301T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-8029015
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 140
Airframe Hours 957
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLOVERDALE FOODS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 103 4TH AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City MANDAN
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58554
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BIS
Destination City BISMARCK
Destination State ND
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --