- Date
- December 5, 2008, 13:38 local (19:38 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Forks, ND
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N51RFRockwell International 500-S
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 28, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Fargo FSDO
- Case key
- 73329
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 pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to touchdown.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The twin-engine airplane was being operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducting snow survey flights. The airplane initially departed from the Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Grand Forks, North Dakota, and made a refueling stop at the Fargo International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota. The airplane was on a repositioning flight back to GFK when the accident occurred. During the flight, the airplane was cleared by air traffic control for the runway 17R localizer backcourse approach to GFK. The airplane landed on runway 17R with the landing gear in the retracted position, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Subsequently, the engines were shut down and the aircraft was evacuated. The minimum descent altitude and visibility requirements for the approach were 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and 1 mile respectively. The ceiling and visibility at the time of the accident were 800 feet (about 1,650 feet msl) and 1 mile respectively. The operator noted that there were no mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
The twin-engine Rockwell AS-500S (Aero Commander) airplane was being operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducting snow survey flights. The airplane initially departed from the Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Grand Forks, North Dakota and made a refueling stop at the Fargo International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota. The airplane was on a repositioning flight back to GFK when the accident occurred. During the flight, the airplane was cleared by air traffic control for the runway 17R localizer backcourse approach to GFK. The airplane landed on runway 17R with the landing gear in the retracted position, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Subsequently, the engines were shut down and the aircraft was evacuated. The minimum descent altitude and visibility requirements for the approach were 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and 1 mile respectively. The ceiling and visibility at the time of the accident were 800 feet (about 1,650 feet msl) and 1 mile respectively. The operator noted that there were no mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51RF
- Reported as
- Rockwell International 500-S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3298
- Airframe hours
- 10,586
- Engines
- Lycoming TIO-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming TI0-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Operator
- United States Department Of Commerce
- Registered owner
- United States Department Of Commerce
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 3, 2008
- Departed
- FAR · Fargo, ND
- Destination
- GFK · Grand Forks, ND
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- GFK · Grand Forks International Airp, runway 17R, 7,351 × 150 ft, asphalt
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,096 total · 587 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 269 total · 53 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.57 inHg
- Observed at
- GFK
Other investigations on N51RF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.