- Date
- March 5, 2005, 17:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Westport, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N33ACPiper PA-23-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050305002009A
- Case key
- 61108
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 collapsing of the right main landing gear as a result of the failure of the scissors assembly.
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 5,500-hour pilot reported that during the landing roll on runway 3 (2,900-foot long and 42-foot wide asphalt runway), the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and traveled down a rock embankment, striking multiple small trees. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed that the right main landing gear Torque Link Assembly P/N 31805-06 (scissors assembly) was missing the following: bolt (P/N 751 370), cotter pin (P/N 424 052), castle nut (P/N 404 101), washer (P/N 407 565), and bushing (P/N 751 367).
Factual narrative
On March 5, 2005, approximately 1715 central standard time, a Piper PA-23-250 twin-engine airplane, N33AC, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when the right main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at the Westport Airport (4F1), near Westport, Oklahoma. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from 4F1 approximately 1600.
The 5,500-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that during the landing roll on runway 3 (2,900-foot long and 42-foot wide asphalt runway), the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and traveled down a 12-foot rock embankment, striking multiple small trees. The airplane came to rest upright approximately 60 feet to the right of the runway.
Examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration Inspector (FAA), who responded to the accident site, revealed that the left wing was partially sheered-off at the wing root. The trunk of a tree was found embedded in the leading edge of the right wing. Further examination showed that the right main landing gear Torque Link Assembly P/N 31805-06 (scissors assembly) was missing the following: bolt (P/N 751 370), cotter pin (P/N 424 052), castle nut (P/N 404 101), washer (P/N 407 565), and bushing (P/N 751 367).
The last annual inspection was completed on May 20, 2004, about 45.6 hours prior to the mishap.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33AC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27-7405299
- Airframe hours
- 4,150
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward Allen Felmlee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 2004 · 45.6 hours before
- Departed
- 4F1 · Westport, OK
- Destination
- 4FI · Westport, OK
- Airport
- 4F1 · Westport Airport, runway 3, 2,900 × 42 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 81
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 28, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- RVS, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.