Friedman Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hailey, Idaho 83333
Friday, March 1, 2002 19:36 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on approach to the Friedman Memorial airport (Hailey, Idaho), the pilot of the Cessna 421C lowered the landing gear but failed to receive a gear down and locked indication on the right main gear. He attempted to lower the landing gear utilizing the nitrogen blow down system, again without success. The pilot then executed a landing with the nose and left main gear extended. Post-crash examination revealed a small amount of water in the landing gear hydraulic lines. When the landing gear system was purged and replenished with uncontaminated fluid the gear operated without malfunction both normally and with the use of the blow down system. Temperature at Hailey, Idaho, remained well below freezing before and after the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Water contamination within the aircraft's landing gear hydraulic line(s) which froze and blocked the line(s) preventing extension of the right main gear. A factor was the below freezing environmental conditions which the aircraft was operating in prior to and during the approach and landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1936
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Hailey
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83333
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433018N
Event Location Longitude 1141748W
Event Location Airport Friedman Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5315
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1955 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SUN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5315
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12877
NTSB Notification Source SEA FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Mar 1 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2003 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office BOISE FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N421DG
NTSB Number SEA02LA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 421C0456
Certified Max Gross Weight 7560
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 5 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3898
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Benjamin, Mark J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 30362 Morning View Drive
Aircraft Owner City Malibu
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90265
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 SMO
Departure City Santa Monica
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SUN
Destination City Hailey
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 2 2002 2:17PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 6602
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --