St. Lucie County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ft. Pierce, Florida 33450
Monday, May 31, 1982 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AFTER HE APPLIED BACK PRESSURE FOR A CLIMB ATTITUDE AT ABOUT 60 TO 62 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT WANT TO CLIMB, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE NOSE DROPPED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A HARD LANDING ABOUT THREE WEEKS PREVIOUSLY. THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE MOUNT HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT THERE WAS NO LOGBOOK ENTRY REGARDING ANY REPAIR ON THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR FRACTURE DID NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF CORROSION, FATIGUE, OR PREVIOUS CRACK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FT. PIERCE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33450
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ST. LUCIE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FPR
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 1554
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 79
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 953
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 N9655T
NTSB Number MIA82DA126
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38 78AQ152
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 1433
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STANFORD AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 5, BOX 150
Aircraft Owner City FT. PIERCE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33450
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STANFORD AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 5, BOX 150
Operator City FT. PIERCE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33450
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FPR
Departure City FT. PIERCE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FPR
Destination City FT. PIERCE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --