Houston Hobby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77061
Monday, October 7, 1985 17:42 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT VEERED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. WINDS AT THE TIME WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN DIRECT CROSSWIND OF 9 KNS. THE CREW THAT WAS CONTRACTED TO FERRY THE ACFT NOTED, WHEN THEY PICKED IT UP, THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL OPEN EQUIPMENT DISCREPANCIES, INCLUDING ONE THAT STATED THAT THE PRIMARY PROP GROUND FINE PITCH CONTROL SYS WAS INOP. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT LNDG, THE CREW HAD MADE 2 LANDINGS USING THE SECONDARY SYS, WHICH INVOLVED ENGAGING THE GUST LOCK ON, MOMENTARILY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, TO ENGAGE THE PROP CONTROLS. THE PIC STATED THAT THIS PROCEDURE WAS DONE AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND THAT AT THE SAME TIME HE NOTICED THE ACFT VEERING LEFT. HE COULD NOT CORRECT WITH EITHER RUDDER OR NOSE GEAR STEERING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1742
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77061
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOUSTON HOBBY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOU
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 500
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1746 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 500
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2789
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 7 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1809
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30528
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 N4302F
NTSB Number FTW86LA006
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FAIRCHILD
Aircraft Model F-27
Aircraft Series Identifier F-27
Aircraft Serial Number 60
Certified Max Gross Weight 39115
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 46
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 No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DON S. BURNS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 369 SAN MIQUEL DR.
Aircraft Owner City NEWPORT BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92660
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TPA
Departure City TAMPAS
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1442
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HOU
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 7600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --