# NTSB MIA98IA001: Grumman G-73, N168WS, Fort Lauderdale, FL, October 1, 1997 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: October 1, 1997, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Fort Lauderdale, FL - Coordinates: 26.089336, -80.149971 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0893&lon=-80.1500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38407 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98IA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38407/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98IA001 ## Probable cause the partial failure of a component of the hydraulic system resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - hydraulic system - failure,partial (cause) ## Analysis After lowering the landing gear the pilot confirmed that it was down and locked while on final approach. After touchdown during the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed. Post incident trouble shooting of the hydraulic system revealed that the landing gear hydraulic selector valve failed to hold pressure resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Factual narrative On October 1, 1997, about 1615 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-73, N168WS, registered to Pantechnicon Aviation Ltd., experienced a collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing roll at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 type-rating flight. The airplane sustained minor damage and the airline-transport rated type rating applicant/pilot, second pilot, and an FAA operations inspector were not injured. The flight originated about 1215 from the same airport. The pilot-in-command stated that the gear operated normally during the flight which included several gear extensions and retractions. While on final approach, the landing gear indicator indicated that the gear was down which was confirmed once after landing gear extension, and again on short final. After touchdown during the landing roll at an indicated airspeed of about 40 knots, the nose landing gear collapsed. Post incident trouble shooting of the hydraulic system revealed that the landing gear hydraulic selector valve failed to hold pressure resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear. Pressure testing of the valve revealed that a poppet valve part number 27580, was bypassing fluid. The O-rings were replaced and the poppet valve continued to bypass fluid. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N168WS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N168WS), registered now, S/N J-5, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G-73 - Registry model: [Grumman G-73](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-73) (registry code 3951802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: J-5 - Airframe hours: 7145 - Engines: P&W R-1340 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Pantechnicon Aviation Ltd. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 5, 1997, 35 hours before - Departed: FLL - Airport: FLL, Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, runway 9R, 5,276 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 8,884 total, 28 in this make and model, 7,156 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 4 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FLL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 19971001045069I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971001045069I), Oct 1, 1997: Gulstm G73, Ft Lauderdale, FL, Minor damage. Scraping noise rollout followed by nosegear collapse. The landing gear selector valve was by passing fluid. 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.