Kalamazoo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalamazoo, Michigan
Tuesady, March 23, 1982 19:03 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR. THE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND WITH EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. THE ACFT LANDED WITH THE GEAR IN THE PARTIALLY EXTENDED POSITION. SUBSEQUENT TO EXAMINATIONOF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE GEAR BOX FOR THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR WAS DISASSEMBLED. IT WAS STILL PACKED WITH GREASE. WHILE REMOVING THE MASS OF GREASE FROM AROUND THE DRIVE PINION GEAR, A SMALL NUT, FOREIGN TO THE INSIDE OF THE GEAR BOX, WAS FOUND BURIED, AND INVISIBLE, IN THE GREASE THAT WAS PACKED AROUND THE BEVELED GEARS. EXAMINATION OF THE NUT SHOWED INDENTATIONS OF TWO OPPOSITE SIDES. PLACEMENT OF THE NUT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE POINT WHEREBOTH BEVELED GEARS MET WOULD JAM THE ROTATION IN EITHER THE RETRACT OF EXTEND CYCLE. ON 12/23/77 THE GEAR ACTUATORS WEREREPLACED WITH REBUILT PARTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/23/1982
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1903
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KALAMAZOO
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport KALAMAZOO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AZO
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1800
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AZO
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3335
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6069C
NTSB Number CHI82FA098
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model 65-A90
Aircraft Series Identifier 65-A90
Aircraft Serial Number LJ291
Certified Max Gross Weight 8800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
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 281
Airframe Hours 6881
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOWLING BAG CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1768
Aircraft Owner City VAL DOSTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOWLING BAG CO.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HAMILTON
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SOUTH BEND
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 3925
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --