Delaware Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cheswold, Delaware 19936
Sunday, September 15, 1985 7:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 27, THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ROLLED OUT ABOUT 1000 FEET WHEN THE GEAR HORN SOUNDED AND ALL THREE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT REACHED FOR THE GEAR SWITCH, WHICH WAS IN THE UP POSITION, BUT THE GEAR COMPLETED ITS RETRACTION AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ALONG THE RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 127 FEET. TESTING OF THE SQUAT SWITCH, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, REVEALED THAT THE SWITCH HAD FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 720
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHESWOLD
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19936
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DELAWARE AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 33N
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 56
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID DOV
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 2155
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29560
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 N3298Q
NTSB Number BFO85LA076
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 401
Aircraft Series Identifier 401
Aircraft Serial Number 401-0098
Certified Max Gross Weight 6200
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 5800
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KIMLEY W. LEONARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1 BOX 462
Aircraft Owner City MAIDEN
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28650
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO QUEST AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code INT
Departure City WINSTON-SALEM
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 33N
Destination City DOVER
Destination State DE
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 27
Runway Length 3484
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --