# NTSB CHI97LA090: Curtiss-Wright P-40E, N7205A, Grand Forks, ND, March 25, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 25, 1997, 15:47 local (21:47 UTC) - Place: Grand Forks, ND - Coordinates: 47.909244, -97.06932 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9092&lon=-97.0693&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10533 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI97LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10533/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA090 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper flare during landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,gear locking mechanism - overload ## Analysis During a ferry flight, with the main retractable landing gear was pinned in the down position using safety cables, the pilot made a normal approach to land. During landing the pilot was observed as having made a hard landing resulting in the left main landing gear collapsing. ## Factual narrative On March 25, 1997, at 1547 central standard time (cst), a Curtiss Wright P-40E, N7205A, piloted by a Canadian private pilot, ran off the side of runway 35L (7349'x 150' dry/asphalt) at Grand Forks International Airport, Grand Forks, North Dakota. The airplane sustained substantial damage when its right main landing gear collapsed upon landing, veering the airplane off the runway into a snowbank. The Canadian private pilot reported no injuries. The ferry 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed. The flight departed Carman, Manitoba, Canada, at 1502 cst. According to the pilot's written statement, he was ferrying the airplane to Grand Forks, ND, to clear U.S. Customs with the airplane owner flying chase in a Beechcraft Bonanza. The pilot stated at touch down "...the landing was smooth but the R. H. (right) gear (main) retracted on touch down." The pilot was no longer able "...to hold A/C straight and ground looped..." to the right of the runway. A witness observed the landing sequence and said the approach looked normal but in the her opinion the aircraft seemed to flare high and contacted the ground rather hard. The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the right main landing gear and said that the retractable landing gear had been jury rigged in the down position with cables, which on the right side failed. Inspection of the left side revealed only a few cable strands still holding. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7205A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7205A), registered now, S/N AK823/1036 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Curtiss-Wright P-40E - Registry model: [Curtiss Wright P-40E](https://openairdocs.org/model/curtiss-wright-p-40e) (registry code 2622203) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AK823/1036 - Airframe hours: 3000 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 602 1490 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ron J. Fagen - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special flight (Special) - Last inspection: Unknown, March 20, 1997, 750 hours before - Departed: CARMAN, CANADA - Destination: GFK, ND - Airport: GFK, Grand Forks International, runway 35L, 7,349 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 4,000 total, 170 in this make and model, 5 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 10 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: GFK ## 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 19970325003619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970325003619A), Mar 25, 1997: Grand Forks, ND, Substantial damage. Aircraft right main gear collapsed on landing, skidded down the runway, came to rest on side of runway. (-23) on March 25, 1997 at 1547 CST, a curtiss wright… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.