Bowman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Louisville, Kentucky 40205
Sunday, October 4, 2009 12:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a flight review, the commercial pilot attempted to lower the landing gear but, after the gear-up light extinguished, the gear down light would not illuminate. After multiple attempts to lower the landing gear, the flight instructor declared an emergency, took control of the airplane, and prepared for a gear-up landing. During touchdown, the airplane left the paved portion of the runway, and was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed that the hydraulic nose gear door actuator line on the right side of the aircraft failed due to fatigue at the flared end of the line. Review of maintenance records revealed that a high pressure electric fuel pump had been installed in close proximity to the failed line. No identification information or manufacturer information was present on the line and the straight sections of the tubing were not completely straight indicating that it had been bent by hand. A wear mark corresponding to significant contact with another object was observed on the aft side of the upper horizontal portion of the line which was covered by a plastic sleeve wrapped in electrical tape. It was likely that contact at that location produced excessive bending loads on the hydraulic line at the flare which lead to the fatigue fracture. Removal of the plastic sleeve which appeared to have been installed as a chaff guard revealed the existence of two other wear marks on the hydraulic line, one of which was approximately 50 percent of the wall thickness deep. The location of the wear marks corresponded to the location of the electric pump that had been installed and its fuel line fittings. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, tubing should not be nicked, cut, dented, collapsed, or twisted beyond approved limits. When inspection shows a line to be damaged or defective, the entire line should be replaced or, if the damaged section is localized, a repair section may be inserted. Minor dents and scratches in tubing may be repaired. Scratches or nicks not deeper than 10 percent of the wall thickness in aluminum alloy tubing, that are not in the heel of a bend, may be repaired by burnishing with hand tools. Lines with severe die marks, seams, or splits should be replaced. Any crack or deformity in a flare is unacceptable and cause for rejection. A dent less than 20 percent of the tube diameter is not objectionable unless it is in the heel of a bend.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A malfunction of the landing gear extension system due to a fractured hydraulic line. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate inspection and maintenance of the hydraulic line.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Louisville
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40205
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381341N
Event Location Longitude 0853949W
Event Location Airport Bowman Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LOU
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 546
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 546
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 30.11
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) 28610
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2011 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9443T
NTSB Number ERA10LA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 57243
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 12 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4354
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name David J. White
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LOUISVILLE
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40291
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Laurence D. Preble
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City La Grange
Operator State KY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 40031
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LOU
Departure City Louisville
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1020
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LOU
Destination City Louisville
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2011 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4326
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --