Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Rafter J Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Burleson, Texas 76028
Saturday, January 3, 2004 12:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While landing at a private airstrip, the right main gear separated from the aircraft. Shortly after touchdown, the right gear strut dug into the grass for approximately 75 feet before the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. Inspection of the amateur-built aircraft revealed that there was an old crack on the flange where it was welded to the axle nut. A new fracture had propagated from the ends of this crack around the lower axle shaft bolt, causing the other 3 remaining bolts to fracture and separate. Examination also revealed that the axle shaft had been cut off next to the backing plate flange and an axle shaft similar to what is used on a Cessna spring gear was bolted to the flange with four quarter-inch bolts. The FAA Inspector found the separated wheel with a piece of the flange still attached to it by one of the bolts. The flange was able to swivel around the bolt, suggesting that the bolt (and the 3 other bolts) was improperly torqued.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The separation of the right main gear wheel, during landing, due to the improper maintenance by unknown maintenance personnel on the right main landing gear assembly.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/3/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1240 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Burleson |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76028 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323154N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0971829W |
| Event Location Airport | Rafter J Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3TX9 |
| 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 | 710 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 20 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15171 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 8 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 634 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 30 2004 8:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Worth Flight Standards District Office |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9AQ |
| NTSB Number | FTW04LA056 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Pitts |
| Aircraft Model | S-1S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 568-H |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1150 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 22 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 1486.8 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Joe A. Scott |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 124 Stonewick Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Benbrook |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76126 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 124 Stonewick Drive |
| Operator City | Benbrook |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76126 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FWS |
| Departure City | Burleson |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1240 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 3TX9 |
| Destination City | Burleson |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2004 1:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 2800 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |