# NTSB ERA10CA079: Air Gulfstream Airlines SX-300, N884, West Palm Beach, FL, November 14, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 14, 2009, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: West Palm Beach, FL - Coordinates: 26.589166, -80.084442 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5892&lon=-80.0844&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 6, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 75099 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75099/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75099 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA079 ## Probable cause The loss of directional control while landing for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Action: incomplete action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 105 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the airplane began to track to the right immediately after touchdown on runway 15. He applied left rudder and full power in an attempt to go around and the airplane lifted briefly, but then touched down off the right side of the runway. Upon contact with the unimproved surface, all three landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The nearest official weather reporting station, approximately 5 miles to the north of the accident site, reported that the winds were from 010 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot indicated that there was a mechanical malfunction with the brakes or landing gear that caused the airplane to track to the right upon touchdown. He also stated that he successfully performed a brake check prior to the flight, and that the airplane was tracking normally during the takeoff roll. Examination by an airframe and power plant mechanic revealed that the right main gear upper trunnion mount and the left main landing gear scissor were broken. All components of the brake system were in “very good, operational, condition” and there was no evidence of any preexisting anomalies with either the brakes or the landing gear. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that the airplane began to track to the right immediately after touchdown on runway 15. He applied left rudder and full power in an attempt to go around, and the airplane lifted briefly, but then touched down off the right side of the runway. Upon contact with the unimproved surface, all three landing gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The nearest official weather reporting station approximately 5 miles to the north of the accident site showed the winds were from 010 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot indicated on the NTSB 6120.1, that there was a mechanical malfunction with the brakes or landing gear that caused the airplane to track to the right upon touchdown. He also stated that he successfully performed a brake check prior to the flight, and that the airplane was tracking normally during the takeoff roll. Examination by an airframe and power plant mechanic revealed that the right main gear upper trunnion mount and the left main landing gear scissor were broken. All components of the brake system were in “very good, operational, condition”, and there was no evidence of any pre-existing anomalies with either the brakes or the landing gear. ## Aircraft - Registration: N884 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: AIR GULFSTREAM AIRLINES INC SX-300 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 84 - Airframe hours: 931 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Air Gulfstream Airlines Inc - Registered owner: Air Gulfstream Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 5, 2009, 2 hours before - Departed: PHK, Pahokee, FL - Destination: LNA, West Palm Beach, FL - Airport: LNA, Palm Beach County Airport, runway 15, 3,421 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 13, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 4,950 total, 930 in this make and model, 4,950 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 10° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: KPBI, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20091114052069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091114052069A), Nov 14, 2009: Air Gulfstr SX-300, Lantana, FL, Substantial damage. After landing, when nose wheel lowered to the runway the aircraft began a drift to the right. The dirft could not be corrected. The aircraft lifed from the… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 19, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75099. 936 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 591 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322792&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20(Pilot)-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324968&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - A&P Statement (item 4, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324976&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=A%26P%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: Digital picture provided by FAA showing damage to landing gear (item 5, .PDF, 231 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324978&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Digital%20picture%20provided%20by%20FAA%20showing%20damage%20to%20landing%20gear-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.