# NTSB FTW03LA170: North American T-28A, N14124, Houston, TX, May 30, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 30, 2003, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.818056, -95.6725 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8181&lon=-95.6725&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57195 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA170 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57195/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA170 ## Probable cause The failure of the nose wheel landing gear shimmy damper for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - roll - reason for occurrence undetermined - landing gear,nose gear assembly - malfunction (cause) ## Analysis During landing, the airplane touched down at approximately 75 knots. When the nose wheel came down and touched, there was a "minor high frequency shimmy and the pilot immediately pulled the stick back and the shimmy stopped." As the airspeed bled off, the nose wheel came back in contact with the runway and "tracked straight down the runway." At approximately 15 - 18 knots, the airplane suddenly started to shimmy and was "so bad, the pilot couldn't even see." Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed the nose wheel shimmy damper was repacked prior to the last departure. ## Factual narrative On May 30, 2003, at 1400 central daylight time, a North American T-28A single-engine airplane, N14124, registered to and operated by a private individual, sustained substantial damage during landing roll at the West Houston Airport (IWS), near Houston, Texas. 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 cross-country flight departed from the Richard Lloyd James Jr. Airport (RVS), near Tulsa, Oklahoma at 1200 and was destined for IWS. The 1,224-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that while landing on runway 15, a 3,900-foot long asphalt runway, the airplane touched down at approximately 75 knots. When the nose wheel touched down, there was a "minor high frequency shimmy and he immediately pulled the stick back and the shimmy stopped." As the airspeed bled off, the nose wheel came back in contact with the runway and "tracked straight down the runway." At approximately 15 to 18 knots, the airplane suddenly started to shimmy "so bad, he couldn't even see." He stopped the airplane, and then taxied to the ramp to inspect the airplane. Examination of the aircraft by an FAA investigator, who responded to the site of the accident, revealed the nose gearbox, lower engine cowlings, and nose gear doors were damaged. Further inspection revealed the forward engine firewall was structurally damaged. Examination of the runway by the pilot revealed 9 1/2 nose wheel tire oscillation marks within a distance of 74 feet long.. Examination of the aircraft logbooks revealed the nose wheel shimmy damper was repacked prior to departing RVS. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N14124](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N14124-2018-02-08), registration cancelled 2018-02-08, S/N 51-3693, built 1951 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: North American T-28A - Registry model: [North American T-28A](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-28a) (registry code 6402504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Wright 1820F56](https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-1820f56) (registry code 67024, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 51-3693 - Airframe hours: 5664 - Engines: Wright R-1820-56S 1300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2002, 27.2 hours before - Departed: RVS, TULSA, OK - Destination: IWS, HOUSTON, TX - Airport: IWS, West Houston Airport, runway 15, 3,953 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 23, 2002; seat: front; flight hours: 1,224 total, 269 in this make and model, 1,224 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F ## 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 20030530014209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030530014209A), May 30, 2003: Namer T28A, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot reported that after a normal landing at about 70 knots he felt a high frequency vibration from the nose landing gear. He then raised the nose… ## Other investigations on N14124 (1) 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. - [NTSB CEN15LA360](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA360), Aug 14, 2015: North American T 28A (N14124), Las Cruces, NM, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Failure of the No. 6 cylinder connecting rod, due to improper rotation of the propeller during a previous hydraulic lock. 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.