- Date
- March 20, 1999, 20:00 local (Mar 21, 1999, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Jacksonville, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3621QBeech 23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 21, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990320015089A
- Case key
- 45930
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The overload failure of the landing gear attach points during takeoff from a turf airstrip. Factors are rough and uneven terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The solo cross-country flight was planned with a refueling stop in Jacksonville. The student pilot reported that the departure runway surface at the departure airport was rough and uneven. Upon arriving in the Jacksonville area, the student pilot was cleared for an approach to and a landing on runway 07. The student pilot stated that during the first landing he heard a cracking or popping sound. The student pilot described the touchdown as normal. At this point he elected to go-around for another approach and landing. The pilot was cleared for another landing on runway 07, and as soon as the airplane touched down on the runway surface, it veered to the right. The airplane rotated 180 degrees in the center of the runway. The post-accident examination of the airplane disclosed that the nose gear attach point had failed. The visual examination of the fracture surface revealed typical overload deformation. Prior to this occurrence, no mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot. Reportedly, during the wreckage examination, a small amount of corrosion was also discovered on the nose gear attach point.
Factual narrative
On March 20, 1999, at 2000 eastern standard time, a Beech 23, N3621Q, ground looped during a full stop landing at the Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. The instructional flight was operated by the student pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the student pilot was not injured. The flight departed Cumming, Georgia, at 1630.
According to the student pilot, the solo-cross country flight was planned with a refueling stop in Jacksonville. The student pilot reported that the departure runway surface at Cumming Airport was rough and uneven. Upon arriving in the Jacksonville area, the student pilot was cleared for an approach to and a landing on runway 07. The student pilot stated that during the first landing he heard a cracking or popping sound. The student pilot described the touchdown as normal. At this point he elected to go-around for another approach and landing. The pilot was cleared for another landing on runway 07, and as soon as the airplane touched down on the runway surface, it veered to the right. The airplane rotated 180 degrees in the center of the runway.
The post-accident examination of the airplane disclosed that the nose gear attach point had failed. The visual examination of the fracture surface revealed typical overload deformation. Prior to this occurrence, no mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot. Reportedly, during the wreckage examination, a small amount of corrosion was also discovered on the nose gear attach point.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3621Q
- Reported as
- Beech 23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MB-239
- Airframe hours
- 3,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320A4K, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Camilo Pereira
- Registered owner
- Patricia Pereira
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- 84A · Cumming, GA
- Destination
- JIA
- Airport
- JAX · Jacksonville Internationa, runway 7, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 95 total · 90 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3621Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.