Felts Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spokane, Washington 99212
Thursday, September 30, 2010 15:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, after a normal touchdown the airplane began a skidding turn to the right. The pilot was unable to keep the airplane on the runway and it struck a runway light during the runway excursion, which occurred as a result of a deflated tire on the right main landing gear. On-scene examination revealed that the valve of the tire's inner tube had separated from the tube. The left main landing gear tire was found to be properly inflated, the tread depth on both the left and right main landing gear tires was sufficient, and neither the left nor the right main landing gear tires exhibited any indications of abnormal wear. The pilot indicated that the right tire and tube were replaced about 17 months before the accident and that they had accumulated about 295 hours and 107 cycles in service. The tube was manufactured about 1 year prior to its installation. Examination of the tube and the recovered valve revealed that a small area of a manufacturing splice had opened, which permitted the tube to deflate. The deflated tire then slipped on the wheel during landing, which separated the valve from the tube body. The tube manufacturer did not provide any reasons for the splice failure. Neither the root cause nor the exact timing of the splice failure could be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of a manufacturing splice of the right main landing gear tire’s inner tube, which resulted in a deflated tire and a consequent loss of directional control on landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Spokane
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99212
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 474058N
Event Location Longitude 1171921W
Event Location Airport Felts Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SFF
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 1953
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1953
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29700
NTSB Notification Source Northwest Mountain ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2012 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90SE
NTSB Number WPR10LA479
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4622041
Certified Max Gross Weight 4318
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 1742
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name Garco Equipment Co
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Spokane
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99202
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Garco Equipment Co
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Spokane
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99202
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RLD
Departure City Richland
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SFF
Destination City Spokane
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2012 2:34PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03L
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --