Westport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westport, Oklahoma 74020
Saturday, March 5, 2005 17:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 5,500-hour pilot reported that during the landing roll on runway 3 (2,900-foot long and 42-foot wide asphalt runway), the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and traveled down a rock embankment, striking multiple small trees. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed that the right main landing gear Torque Link Assembly P/N 31805-06 (scissors assembly) was missing the following: bolt (P/N 751 370), cotter pin (P/N 424 052), castle nut (P/N 404 101), washer (P/N 407 565), and bushing (P/N 751 367).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The collapsing of the right main landing gear as a result of the failure of the scissors assembly.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Westport
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74020
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361320N
Event Location Longitude 0962046W
Event Location Airport Westport Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4F1
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 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 122
Weather Observation Facility ID RVS
Elevation of weather observation facility 638
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.19
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) 17727
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33AC
NTSB Number DFW05LA081
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7405299
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 20 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45.6
Airframe Hours 4150
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Edward Allen Felmlee
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR1 Box 345
Aircraft Owner City Cleveland
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74020
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 4F1
Departure City Westport
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4FI
Destination City Westport
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Apr 5 2005 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 42
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --