Port Agusta Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pt. Augusta American Samoa
Monday, August 1, 2005 2:10 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On August 01, 2005, at 0210 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a Piper PA-31-350, VH-LMB, landed with the landing gear in the retracted position at the Port Augusta aerodrome, Pt. Augusta, Australia. The airplane, owned and operated by Airlines of South Australia under the pertinent provisions of the Australian civil aviation regulations, was substantially damaged in the collision sequence. The Australian commercial pilot and seven passengers were uninjured. During arrival at Port Augusta, the right main landing gear down-light failed to illuminate and the selector handle did not return to neutral. The landing gear appeared to be extended to ground observers and the inboard landing gear doors were extended. After holding for about 100 minutes and carrying out extensive troubleshooting unsuccessfully, the pilot elected to land with the landing gear retracted. The accident is under the jurisdiction of, and is under investigation by, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Perth Regional Office. Further information can be obtained from: Australian Transport Safety Bureau PO Box 967 Civic Square Canberra ACT 2608 Australia Telephone 02 6274 6094 www.atsb.gov.au

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 210
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Pt. Augusta
Event State --
Event Country AMERICAN SAMOA
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323000S
Event Location Longitude 1374200E
Event Location Airport Port Agusta
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
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 --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 8
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source ATSB
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 6 2005 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record RICJ
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number LAX05WA259
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed --
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Airlines of South Australia
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 PO Box 39548
Operator City Winnellie
Operator State --
Operator Country AS
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Unknown
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Pt. Augusta
Destination State --
Destination Country AS
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 6 2005 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record RICJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight --
Medical Flight --