# NTSB DCA16CA226: Bombardier DHC 8 202, N366PH, Dulles, VA, September 24, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 24, 2016, 10:15 local (14:15 UTC) - Place: Dulles, VA - Coordinates: 38.953056, -77.45639 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9531&lon=-77.4564&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 24 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 9, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 94087 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA16CA226 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94087/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94087 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16CA226 ## Probable cause incorrect installation of the frangible towing fuse that prevented the nose landing gear from extending. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure; cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction; cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [After landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095); cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [After landing: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-202, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=1390007), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md) ## Analysis On September 24 2016, at about 1015 PM EDT, Commutair flight 4919, a De Havilland Dash 8-200, N366PH, performed a nose gear up landing on runway 1R after the nose gear would not fully extend during approach to Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD), Dulles, Virginia. The passengers were evacuated via exit doors on the runway. There were no injuries to the 21 passengers and 3 crew members and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Albany International Airport (KALB), Albany, New York to KIAD. According to the operator, the airplane was scheduled for maintenance during an overnight period on the evening before the accident flight at the Albany Maintenance Hangar Facility at KALB. As part of the scheduled maintenance, a frangible towing fuse in the nose landing gear mechanism was removed and replaced. The aircraft was released from maintenance and signed off for revenue service on the morning of the accident flight. According to the flight crew, the flight was uneventful until the final approach phase when they were configuring the airplane for landing at KIAD. After selecting the gear down, both main landing gear indicated down and locked but the nose gear indicated that the gear doors remained open and that the gear was unsafe. The flight crew then retracted the main landing gear and climbed to 3000 feet. While at altitude, the flight crew attempted to lower the gear a second time but the same result was indicated. The flight crew then performed the manual gear extension, but the nose gear still failed to extend. The flight conducted a low pass of the airport and ground personnel confirmed that the main landing gear were down, but the nose gear was retracted with the doors open. The flight crew climbed back to 3,000 feet, declared an emergency and requested airport emergency vehicles standby. During the landing roll, the nose of the airplane contacted the runway surface and the captain shut down the engines after the airplane came to a stop and called for an evacuation. None of the passengers or crew were injured. Examination of the airplane found substantial damage to the airplane skin and forward pressure vessel as a result of the contact with the runway. Inspection of the nose gear system found that the frangible towing fuse, which was replaced before the flight, was incorrectly installed. ## Factual narrative On September 24 2016, at about 1015 PM EDT, Commutair flight 4919, a De Havilland Dash 8-200, N366PH, performed a nose gear up landing on runway 1R after the nose gear would not fully extend during approach to Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD), Dulles, Virginia. The passengers were evacuated via exit doors on the runway. There were no injuries to the 21 passengers and 3 crew members and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Albany International Airport (KALB), Albany, New York to KIAD. According to the operator, the airplane was scheduled for maintenance during an overnight period on the evening before the accident flight at the Albany Maintenance Hangar Facility at KALB. As part of the scheduled maintenance, a frangible towing fuse in the nose landing gear mechanism was removed and replaced. The aircraft was released from maintenance and signed off for revenue service on the morning of the accident flight. According to the flight crew, the flight was uneventful until the final approach phase when they were configuring the airplane for landing at KIAD. After selecting the gear down, both main landing gear indicated down and locked but the nose gear indicated that the gear doors remained open and that the gear was unsafe. The flight crew then retracted the main landing gear and climbed to 3000 feet. While at altitude, the flight crew attempted to lower the gear a second time but the same result was indicated. The flight crew then performed the manual gear extension, but the nose gear still failed to extend. The flight conducted a low pass of the airport and ground personnel confirmed that the main landing gear were down, but the nose gear was retracted with the doors open. The flight crew climbed back to 3,000 feet, declared an emergency and requested airport emergency vehicles standby. During the landing roll, the nose of the airplane contacted the runway surface and the captain shut down the engines after the airplane came to a stop and called for an evacuation. None of the passengers or crew were injured. Examination of the airplane found substantial damage to the airplane skin and forward pressure vessel as a result of the contact with the runway. Inspection of the nose gear system found that the frangible towing fuse, which was replaced before the flight, was incorrectly installed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N366PH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N366PH-2020-02-11), registration cancelled 2020-02-11, S/N 510, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOMBARDIER INC DHC 8 202 (202) - Registry model: [Bombardier DHC-8-202](https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-dhc-8-202) (registry code 1390007) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw123) (registry code 52129, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 510 - Year built: 1998 - Airframe hours: 36309.55 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PW-123D 2054 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PW-123D 2054 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Champlain Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Commutair - United Express - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 24, 2016 - Departed: ALB, ALBANY, NY - Destination: IAD, Dulles, VA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: IAD, Washington Dulles Intl, runway 01R, 11,500 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 16, 2016; seat: left; flight hours: 3,676 total, 2,633 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 47; injuries: none; foreign, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 8, 2016; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 7,754 total, 6,215 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 100° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: KIAD ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20160924019569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160924019569I), Sep 24, 2016: Bombardier Inc DHC-8-202, Chantilly, VA, Minor damage. Nose landing gear failed to extend. First flight out of "a" check. Nose landing gear frangible fuse was replaced during the "a" check. Frangible fuse was… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94087. 686 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 611 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460771&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement - First Officer (item 2, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement%20-%20First%20Officer-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement - Captain (item 3, .PDF, 42 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460773&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement%20-%20Captain-Master.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. --- 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.