- Date
- March 21, 1995, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place
- Opa Locka, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2923BChristen Industries A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950321013769A
- Case key
- 37743
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
Collapse of the tailwheel gear assembly, due to improper installation of a nut by maintenance personnel.
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 tailwheel gear assembly collapsed on landing, then the aircraft swerved to the left and went off the runway. During the swerve, the right wing contacted the ground and the aircraft was substantially damaged. An exam revealed that a nut was missing from the tailwheel assembly attach bolt, which allowed the tailwheel gear assembly to collapse sideways. The threads on the attach bolt were found damaged.
Factual narrative
On March 21, 1995, about 1505 eastern standard time, a Christen Industries A-1, N2923B, registered to Hugh S. Brown, sustained damage when the tail landing gear collapsed during landing at Opa Locka Airport, Opa Locka, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Titusville, Florida, on March 21, 1995, about 1305.
The pilot stated that while landing on runway 27 right, a tailwheel main attach bolt failed and the tail wheel collapsed. The aircraft ground looped to the left and went off the runway.
Examination of the aircraft by FAA inspectors indicated the nut on the tail gear assembly attach bolt was missing. The tailwheel gear assembly had collapsed sideways and contacted the steering spring. The attach bolt threads were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2923B
- Reported as
- Christen Industries A-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1033
- Airframe hours
- 366
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Harrold, Burton B.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 2, 1994 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- X21 · Titusville, FL
- Airport
- OPF · Opa Locka, runway 27R, 10,502 × 200 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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 3 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OPF, 1 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.
Other investigations on N2923B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.