Catalina Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Avalon, California 90704
Sunday, July 21, 1985 19:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT AND A GND WITNESS REPTD THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, MAIN WHEEL FIRST, IN A SMOOTH, SOFT MANNER. UPON TOUCH DOWN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT SLID FOR 200 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST. EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY DISCLOSED THE GEAR ACTUATOR ROD AHD SEPARATED. MICROSCOPIC EXAM OF THE FRACTURED SURFACE REVEALED OVRLD SIGNATURES. THE NOSE GEAR FORK ASSEMBLY PUNCTURED TO CAUSE THE FORK ASSY TO PENETRATE THE FUSELAGE SKIN. BOTH WINGS INBD SECTION LOWER SURFACES EXHIBITED EXTENSIVE WRINKLING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AVALON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90704
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CATALINA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AVX
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 1602
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1930
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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) 711
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2137
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27935
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2193Z
NTSB Number LAX85LA327
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-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 347970213
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM G. BURKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9905 GLADIOLA CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City FOUNTAIN VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92708
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OMNI AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address LONG BEACH AIRPORT
Operator City LONG BEACH
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90806
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 LGB
Departure City LONG BEACH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code AVX
Destination City AVALON
Destination State CA
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 22
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --