Fulton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Indiana 47932
Tuesady, September 18, 1984 15:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE LEFT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SLID APRX 40 FEET AND NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD REMOVED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR APRX 10 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TO REPACK THE WHEEL BEARINGS. HE STATED THAT HE HAD TROUBLE REINSTALLING THE AXLE RETAINING NUT SO THAT THE COTTER KEY HOLE IN THE NUT MATCHED THE ONE IN THE AXLE. HE REDRILLED AND ENLARGED THE HOLE IN THE RETAINING NUT. THIS ALLOWED THE COTTER KEY TO FIT THROUGH THE RETAINING NUT BUT WITH THE NUT SET AT ITS PROPER TORQUE, IT DID NOT GO THROUGH THE HOLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47932
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FULTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4I5
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 580
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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) 2301
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26234
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 N5023D
NTSB Number CHI84LA393
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 PICKEL
Aircraft Model SMITH MINIPLANE
Aircraft Series Identifier SMITH MINI
Aircraft Serial Number 7337
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 171
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARNOLD F. PICKEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address R R 1 BOX 297
Aircraft Owner City COVINGTON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47932
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 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 --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone EST
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 0
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --