Galena Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Galena, Alaska 99741
Thursday, November 13, 2003 16:49 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport certificated pilot was preparing to land a multiengine, retractable gear airplane, and as he lowered the landing gear, he did not receive a cockpit indication that the right main landing gear was extended. The pilot performed the emergency gear extension procedures, including the use of the emergency blow-down system, but the right main gear failed to extend. The pilot then landed with the left main landing gear and nose gear extended, and during the landing roll, shutdown the right engine. As the airplane slowed, the right wing and fuselage contacted the runway surface. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed scraping/scuffing damage to the underside of the right wing and aileron. The right main landing gear strut was fully compressed. The gear extension and retraction components appeared to be undamaged. The operator's maintenance personnel reported that proposed repairs to the airplane included removal and replacement of the right wingtip, aileron and flap, and patching of fuselage skin. An FAA inspector reported that during further examination of the landing gear, the right gear hydraulic actuator was found contaminated with water. The temperature at the accident location was -2 degrees F. The FAA inspector indicated the actuator was probably frozen.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Water contamination and freezing of the landing gear actuator that prevented the extension of the right main landing gear, resulting in a gear-up landing. Factors contributing to the accident were freezing temperatures at the accident location, and inadequate maintenance/servicing of the landing gear system by company maintenance personnel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1649
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Galena
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99741
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 644410N
Event Location Longitude 1565614W
Event Location Airport Galena
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 152
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1715 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAGA
Elevation of weather observation facility 152
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.59
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) 15417
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Nov 13 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N402ET
NTSB Number ANC04LA011
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 402
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 402C0054
Certified Max Gross Weight 7210
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Nov 4 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 13916
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Arctic Air Group Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 60049
Aircraft Owner City Fairbanks
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99706
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Arctic Air Service Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 ACSA
Owner has at least one certificate --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NUL
Departure City Nulato
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1605
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PAGA
Destination City Galena
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 12 2004 1:06PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 7254
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --