Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Fletcher Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Clarksdale, Mississippi 38645
Tuesady, August 26, 2008 13:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While applying the left brake during taxi after landing, the pilot first heard a "loud pop from the left gear" and during further brake application, the left axle and wheel assembly separated. Two MS20008H22 bolts and one AN509-616-35 screw that secure the axle to the spring leg were fractured. The failure mode of the bolts was due to fatigue, and was typical of bolts that are insufficiently torqued. The mechanic who last inspected the airplane used his own checklist and did not torque check the bolts and screw, which is required by the manufacturer's Annual/100-Hour Airframe Inspection Checklist.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The mechanic’s failure to torque check the axle-to-spring gear attachment bolts per the manufacturer's Annual/100-Hour Airframe Inspection Checklist, resulting in fatigue failure of the bolts.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/26/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Clarksdale |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38645 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 341724N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0903036W |
| Event Location Airport | Fletcher Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CKM |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1315 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 19 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UTA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 194 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.81 |
| 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) | 25616 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 28 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2009 12:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Jackson, Mississippi |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3633S |
| NTSB Number | MIA08LA174 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP |
| Aircraft Model | G-164B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 778B |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 4 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 337 |
| Airframe Hours | 10282 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HOWARD FLYING SERVICE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1539 |
| Aircraft Owner City | CLARKSDALE |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38614 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HOWARD FLYING SERVICE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 1539 |
| Operator City | CLARKSDALE |
| Operator State | MS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38614 |
| Operator Code | HWKG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| 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) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | CKM |
| Departure City | Clarksdale |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1243 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | CKM |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - from landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 22 2009 12:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |