Southwest Minnesota Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marshall, Minnesota 56258
Monday, October 2, 2006 16:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was substantially damaged during landing when the nose gear failed to properly extend. The pilot reported that during touch-and-goes at MDS the nose gear would not extend prior to landing. The pilot diverted to MML and conducted a fly-by where ground personnel reported that the nose gear tire appeared to be cocked inside the gear well. The pilot reported that several attempts to lower the nose gear were unsuccessful. The pilot landed in the grass adjacent to the runway with the main gear extended and the nose gear retracted. Post accident investigation could not duplicate the problem. Operational checks of the landing gear retraction and extension after the accident were normal.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the nose gear to properly extend for undetermined reasons, which resulted in damage to the forward fuselage during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/2/2006
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1605
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Marshall
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56258
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 442702N
Event Location Longitude 0954930W
Event Location Airport Southwest Minnesota Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MML
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1180
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MML
Elevation of weather observation facility 1180
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMML 022115Z AUTO 06008KT 10SM CLR 28/04 A29
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) 22846
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 5 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2007 6:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-Minneapolis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71TA
NTSB Number CHI07LA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7654068
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5855
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Brian D. Woldt
Aircraft Owner Street Address 46242 230th Street
Aircraft Owner City Wentworth
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57075
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MDS
Departure City Madison
Departure State SD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MML
Destination City Marshall
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2007 3:45PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --