# NTSB MIA05LA062: Howard DGA-15, N68431, Daytona Beach, FL, February 22, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 22, 2005, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Daytona Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.079999, -81.046669 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0800&lon=-81.0467&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Orlando FSDO-15 - NTSB case key (mKey): 61059 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA05LA062 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61059/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05LA062 ## Probable cause Maintenance personnel failure to detect corrosion in the landing gear strut, resulting in the gear collapsing during landing and damage to the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause) - landing gear,main gear strut - corroded - landing gear,main gear strut - collapsed ## Analysis The pilot stated that this was going to be the third landing of the day. The landing was made to the southwest runway 23, which is a published 4000 ft long, by 176 ft wide. During the landing, the touchdown was "normal", with a slight skip. On the landing roll the airplane traveled down the runway for about 25 to 30 feet, and he felt the left side drop "slightly", and without warning the airplane veered to the right. He applied full left rudder and left brake several times to compensate for the right veer. The airplane continued to the right, and the right main landing gear went off the side of the runway. The airplane's heading changed 40 degrees to the right, as the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed and went under the fuselage causing the left wing to strike the ground. The left wing and the left underside of the forward fuselage incurred damage as the airplane departed the runway. The airplane came to a stop partially off and perpendicular to the runway. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that both brake calipers were dry with no evidence of leaking fluid. The right wheel turned freely and the left wheel turned freely when the wheel pant was bent away from the left wheel. Both brake calipers moved freely in the slider pin bushings. The inside of the airplane's left main landing gear strut was inspected and internal rust and deterioration was found in the lower portion of the landing gear strut steel tube where it had broken. The pilot stated later, that an inspection of the left main landing strut revealed a substantial amount of rust inside the lower portion of the left main strut. The drag strut separated at the drain hole of the landing gear strut where it attaches to the left main landing gear oleo, consistent with the drain hole being obstructed for a period of time. ## Factual narrative On February 22, 2005, about 1530 eastern standard time, a Howard Aircraft DGA-15, N68431, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ground looped during landing at Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot and three passengers received no injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from the same airport, earlier that day, about 1445. The pilot stated that this was going to be the third landing of the day. The landing was made to the southwest runway 23, which is a published 4000 ft long, by 176 ft wide. During the landing, the touchdown was "normal", with a slight skip. On the landing roll the airplane traveled down the runway for about 25 to 30 feet, and he felt the left side drop "slightly", and without warning the airplane veered to the right. He applied full left rudder and left brake several times to compensate for the right veer. The airplane continued to the right, and the right main landing gear went off the side of the runway. The airplanes heading changed 40 degrees to the right, as the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed and went under the fuselage causing the left wing to strike the ground. The left wing and the left underside of the forward fuselage incurred damage as the airplane departed the runway. The airplane came to a stop partially off and perpendicular to the runway. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that both brake calipers were dry with no evidence of leaking fluid. The right wheel turned freely and the left wheel turned freely when the wheel pant was bent away from the left wheel. Both brake calipers moved freely in the slider pin bushings. The inside of the airplane's left main landing gear strut was inspected; internal rust and deterioration was found in the lower portion of the landing gear strut steel tube where it had broken. The pilot stated later that an inspection of the left main landing strut revealed a substantial amount of rust inside the lower portion of the left main strut. The drag strut separated at the drain hole of the landing gear strut where it attaches to the left main landing gear oleo, consistent with the drain hole being obstructed for a period of time. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N68431](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N68431), registered now, S/N 991, built 1943 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Howard Aircraft DGA-15 - Registry model: [Howard DGA-15P](https://openairdocs.org/model/howard-dga-15p) (registry code 4690506) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 991 - Airframe hours: 2162 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney 985-AN6 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Edward R. Moore - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2004, 15 hours before - Departed: 7FL6, Daytona Beach, FL - Airport: 7FL6, Spruce Creek Airport, runway 23, 4,000 × 176 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 31,000 total, 900 in this make and model, 28,000 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,700 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: DAB, 6 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 20050222005959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050222005959A), Feb 22, 2005: Howard DGA15P, Daytona Beach, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) According to the pilot, after landing the airplane rolled about 500 feet along the runway; without warning the airplane began an uncommanded veer to the… 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.