# NTSB CEN19LA168: Rockwell 690, N197GB, Jacksonville, FL, June 10, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 10, 2019, 18:46 local (22:46 UTC)
- Place: Jacksonville, FL
- Coordinates: 30.218889, -81.87722 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2189&lon=-81.8772&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Ponderosa Aviation, FAA, Twin Commander
- NTSB case key (mKey): 99622
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA168
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99622/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99622
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA168

## Probable cause

The overstress fracture of the roll pin in the nose landing gear (NLG) spacer assembly which caused interference between the nose wheel actuator rod and the left forward gear door actuating rods preventing the NLG to fully extend into the full down and locked position resulting in a nose gear collapse during landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Rockwell International 690A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=7630515), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Rockwell International 690A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7630515), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Rockwell International 690A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7630515), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

As the flight crew was returning to the airport for landing after a firefighting reconnaissance flight, the nose landing gear (NLG) was extended but the NLG position light did not illuminate. The flight crew cycled the gear and attempted to troubleshoot but was unable to resolve the problem. The pilot advised the tower controller of the situation and requested that the tower controller and other observers verify the position of the NLG during subsequent low passes. After being twice advised that the NLG appeared to be extended, the flight crew decided to divert to another airport that had crash rescue services. During the landing at the alternate airport, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Examination of the nose landing gear determined that the roll pin in the spacer that connected the nosewheel steering cylinder to the strut had fractured in overstress. After the accident, the NLG was cycled using the gear extension handle in the cockpit, which revealed interference between the nose wheel actuator rod and the left forward gear door actuating rods. This interference likely prevented the nose landing gear from fully extending into the down-and-locked position.

## Factual narrative

On June 10, 2019, about 1846 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell 690A airplane, N197GB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. The pilot and two crew members were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 firefighting flight. One of the pilots reported that, while returning to the airport after a reconnaissance flight, he extended the landing gear, but the nose landing gear (NLG) position light did not illuminate. The crew cycled the gear, then completed the checklist for a gear malfunction; but were unable to resolve the discrepancy. The pilot advised the tower controller of their situation and requested a low approach to verify the position of the NLG. The tower controller told the crew that the landing gear appeared to be down. They requested a second flyby to allow a company representative to look; he also reported that the landing gear appeared down, but suggested diverting to another airport where crash rescue was available. The flight crew agreed and diverted. During the subsequent landing, the NLG collapsed. Examination of the NLG assembly found that the roll pin installed in the spacer assembly was fractured. The fractured roll pin remained installed in the right and left sides of the spacer, which connects the nose wheel steering cylinder and the NLG strut. Metallurgical examination of the fractured roll pin revealed evidence of bending and shear stresses, which had resulted in an overstress fracture. With the assistance of maintenance personnel, the NLG was cycled using the gear extension handle in the cockpit. As the NLG was lowered, the nose wheel cylinder and actuator arm interfered with the nose wheel well main frame and jammed; the nose wheel would not extend past its gear doors. The forward nose landing gear doors were reinstalled and the NLG was cycled again. The nose wheel actuator rod jammed on the left forward gear door actuating rods, matching impact marks observed on the actuating rods.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N197GB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N197GB), registered now, S/N 11282, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Rockwell 690 (A)
- Registry model: [Rockwell International 690A](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-690a) (registry code 7630515) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331-10T](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-10t) (registry code 01580, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 11282
- Year built: 1975
- Airframe hours: 9178.9
- Engines: Airesearch TPE331-10T 717 horsepower turbo prop; Airesearch TPE331-10T 717 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Firefighting, Part 91
- Operator: Ponderosa Aviation
- Registered owner: Blue Spruce Management Llc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, May 17, 2019
- Departed: LCQ, Lake City, FL
- Destination: LCQ, Lake City, FL
- Airport: VQQ, Cecil, runway 18L, 12,503 × 200 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, waiver time limited special; last flight review March 10, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,327 total, 560 in this make and model, 4,036 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Observed at: KVQQ

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20190610006429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190610006429A), Jun 10, 2019: Rockwell International 690A, Jacksonville, FL, Substantial damage. During a routine flight, the aircraft attempted to land but was unable to get the nose gear to indicate down and locked with a green light in the cockpit. The…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99622. 16.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9763368&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN19LA168%206120%20completed%20w%20blocks%20docket_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record for landing gear exam (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9763470&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN19LA168%20Memorandum%20of%20Record%20for%20Landing%20Gear%20Exam-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9763273&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photographs (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 940 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9763088&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9763792&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Ponderosa%20Signed%20NTSB%20wreckage%20release_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- NTSB party forms (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9763479&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=signed%20party%20forms_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Materials laboratory factual report 19-053 (item 7, PDF, 12 pages, 11 photos, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12384636&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%20Report%2019-053-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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