19991127033589I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 402B · Honolulu, HI · November 27, 1999

Date: November 27, 1999 · 17:02 local
Place: Honolulu, HI
Airport: Honolulu International Airport
Phase of flight: Initial Approach-IFR
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: TXHA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N3949C
Reported as: Cessna 402B
Reported engine: Continental TSIO520E
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,223 total213 in this make and model213 in the last 90 days

N3949CRegistration cancelled Feb 24, 2017 · Cessna 402BS/N 402B0826 · Built 1974 Airframe modelCessna 402B Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Bolt was broken and held in place by tight fit until housing broke under stress during gear extension. Pilot did not get three green lights and contacted Honolulu tower for fly-by to verify gear down. Pilot conducted normal approach and landing. When nose touched down it collapsed and aircraft slid on nose. Both props contacted ground and fuselage skin ahead of nose gear was sanded off. Pilot was uninjured. The broken bolt showed evidence of having been cracked for some time. Housing was cracked for approximately 1 inch at upper forward end. This crack was fresh and enabled broken bolt to come loose.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) BOLT WAS BROKEN AND HELD IN PLACE BY TIGHT FIT UNTIL HOUSING BROKE UNDER STRESS DURING GEAR EXTENSION. PILOT DID NOT GET THREE GREEN LIGHTS AND CONTACTED HONOLULU TOWER FOR FLY-BY TO VERIFY GEAR DOWN. PILOT CONDUCTED NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDING. WHEN NOSE TOUCHED DOWN IT COLLAPSED AND AIRCRAFT SLID ON NOSE. BOTH PROPS CONTACTED GROUND AND FUSELAGE SKIN AHEAD OF NOSE GEAR WAS SANDED OFF. PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE BROKEN BOLT SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN CRACKED FOR SOME TIME. HOUSING WAS CRACKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH AT UPPER FORWARD END. THIS CRACK WAS FRESH AND ENABLED BROKEN BOLT TO COME LOOSE.