Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
De Kalb Taylor Municipal Airpo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dekalb, Illinois 60115
Tuesady, March 2, 2010 13:45 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The Beech King Air had undergone maintenance that included a landing gear disassembly and inspection in preparation for the airplane's sale. Following the landing gear inspection, the left main landing gear strut was overfilled to an extension that exceeded maintenance specifications due to the strut not being able to maintain the manufacturer's specified pressure/extension. In preparation for a maintenance test flight relating to engine throttle adjustments, an asymmetric left fuel load was used by the pilot in an attempt to compress the overextended strut at an airplane weight that was less than the maximum gross weight of the airplane. Upon completion of the flight, the pilot returned to the departure airport where he attempted a landing with a left quartering tailwind and with the airplane flaps fully retracted. The airplane touched down between the runway centerline and right side of the runway. The left main landing gear then collapsed, and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The pilot, who was the also the president of the company that performed the landing gear inspection and other maintenance items, reported that the landing gear was a Beech Queen Air part. Examination of the left main landing gear cylinder revealed that it separated at the lower joint above the upper torque knee. The joint exhibited corrosion and paint on its mating surface. The braze coverage in this area was noted to be acceptable with no anomalous voids. The separation was consistent with torsional overload. The examination also revealed that the landing gear shock assembly was a Beech Queen Air part that was not approved for installation on Beech King Air airplanes.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The collapse of the landing gear during landing due to the company's improper maintenance practices and the pilot's decision to take off with an overextended landing gear strut.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/2/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1345 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | DeKalb |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 60115 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | De Kalb Taylor Municipal Airpo |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DKB |
| 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 | 781 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1343 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DKB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 781 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| 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) | 27438 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 9 2010 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N129LA |
| NTSB Number | CEN10LA143 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BEECH |
| Aircraft Model | 65-A90 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | LJ-129 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 9650 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 5 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 6 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7792 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Win Win Aviation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wake Forest |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27587 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Eagle Air Transport |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Ottawa |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 61350 |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | DKB |
| Departure City | DeKalb |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | DKB |
| Destination City | DeKalb |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 20 2010 3:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | galm |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 |
| Runway Length | 4201 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |