- Date
- April 12, 1996, 08:34 local (12:34 UTC)
- Place
- Columbia, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N920SMitsubishi MU-2G-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960412045149A
- Case key
- 37921
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the nose landing gear bearing due to improper assembly and staking (inadequate quality control) by the manufacturer; which prevented the nose gear from retracting and the main gear from extending, and resulted in a subsequent landing on the nose gear and tail 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 pilot stated the nose gear did not retract during the initial climb after takeoff. Emergency procedures were completed (but the nose gear would not retract and the main gear would not extend). The airplane was landed with the nose gear extended and the main gear retracted. A check of the landing gear system after landing revealed a faulty (nose gear) bearing. Examination of the bearing revealed evidence that it had not been properly assembled and staked when it was manufactured.
Factual narrative
On April 12, 1996, about 0834 eastern daylight time, a Mitsubishi MU-2G-30, N920S, registered and operated by Bankair Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi non-scheduled cargo flight, made a forced landing at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained minor damage, and the airline transport pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed Atlanta, Georgia, 2 hours 9 minutes before the incident and while en route to Birmingham, Alabama, diverted to Columbia.
The pilot stated the nose gear did not retract on initial takeoff climb. He recycled the landing gear and completed the emergency procedures with negative results. He contacted company operations and was instructed to divert to Columbia. The airplane was landed with the nose gear down and the main landing gear in the retracted position.
Examination of the bearing carrier and bearings by the NTSB Material Laboratory Division revealed one end of one of the bearing outer races contained a uniform dark bank around the circumference of the race. Detailed examination revealed a series of several faint dark lines at the boundary of this region. The length and spacing of the lines roughly corresponded to the length and spacing of the staking lines on the end of the housing. Examination of the interior of the housing revealed evidence of contact with the bearings over most areas. However, the interior surface contained less evidence of contact over a circumferential area corresponding to the most deeply inserted portion of the bearings. For additional information see NTSB Metallurgist's Factual Report No. 96-117.
The bearing carrier and bearings were released to Mr. John E. Dickerson, President, Bankair, on July 29, 1996.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N920S
- Reported as
- Mitsubishi MU-2G-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 534
- Airframe hours
- 11,580
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-1-151, 665 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Bankair
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 4, 1996
- Departed
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- BHM · Birmingham, AL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CAE · Columbia Metropolitan, runway 23, 7,000 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,600 total · 1,160 in this make and model · 232 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CAE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.