Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Grand Forks International Airp Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
Friday, December 5, 2008 13:38 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The twin-engine airplane was being operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducting snow survey flights. The airplane initially departed from the Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Grand Forks, North Dakota, and made a refueling stop at the Fargo International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota. The airplane was on a repositioning flight back to GFK when the accident occurred. During the flight, the airplane was cleared by air traffic control for the runway 17R localizer backcourse approach to GFK. The airplane landed on runway 17R with the landing gear in the retracted position, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Subsequently, the engines were shut down and the aircraft was evacuated. The minimum descent altitude and visibility requirements for the approach were 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and 1 mile respectively. The ceiling and visibility at the time of the accident were 800 feet (about 1,650 feet msl) and 1 mile respectively. The operator noted that there were no mechanical malfunctions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to touchdown.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/5/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1338 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Grand Forks |
| Event State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 58203 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 475657N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0971034W |
| Event Location Airport | Grand Forks International Airp |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GFK |
| 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 | 845 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1325 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GFK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 845 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.58 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25324 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Aircraft operator (NOAA) |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 15 2009 1:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dinc |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N51RF |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA156 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL |
| Aircraft Model | 500-S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3298 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 3 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 10586 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | NOAA AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS CENTER |
| Aircraft Owner City | MACDILL AFB |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33621-5401 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | NOAA AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS CENTER |
| Operator City | MACDILL AFB |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33621-5401 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FAR |
| Departure City | Fargo |
| Departure State | ND |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1255 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | GFK |
| Destination City | Grand Forks |
| Destination State | ND |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 16 2009 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dinc |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17R |
| Runway Length | 7351 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |