# NTSB NYC90IA178: De Havilland DHC-7-102, N175RA, New York, NY, July 29, 1990

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: July 29, 1990, 17:57 local (21:57 UTC)
- Place: New York, NY
- Coordinates: 40.650405, -73.789627 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6504&lon=-73.7896&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 45 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 10, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36557
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC90IA178
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36557/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90IA178

## Probable cause

THE FLIGHT CREW'S FAILURE TO FOLLLOW THE LANDING GEAR EMERGENCY CHECKLIST. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT WERE: A JAMMED NOSE LANDING GEAR DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A BOGUS PART BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S) AND A DIRTY GEAR VIEWING WINDOW.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Gear not extended, approach
  - landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - unapproved part (contributing factor)
  - maintenance,replacement - improper, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - jammed (contributing factor)
  - window,inspection/observation - dirty(foggy) (contributing factor)
  - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, company maintenance personnel (contributing factor)
  - emergency procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE FLIGHT CREW WAS UNABLE TO GET A DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION OF THE NOSE GEAR AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF BOTH NORMAL AND EMERGENCY EXTENSION. IN ADDITION, THE NOSE GEAR VIEW WINDOW WAS DIRTY, AND THE CREW WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN, AND THEY RECEIVED CONFLICTING GROUND REPORTS ABOUT WHETHER 0R NOT IT WAS DOWN. DURING LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. POST INCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED A BOGUS PART INSTALLED IN THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK ACTUATOR WHICH JAMMED, PREVENTING FULL EXTENSION. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR VIEW WINDOW WAS NOT A MAINTENANCE INSPECTION ITEM. INTERVIEWS WITH THE FLT CREW DISCLOSED THEY ATTEMPTED AN EXTENSION FOR TOTAL HYDRAULIC FAILURE AND THEN RESET THE SELECTOR VALVE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. WHEN THE VALVE WAS RESET, THE PRESSURE ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR THAT WAS OBTAINED BY USING THE HAND PUMP WAS RELEASED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N175RA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DE HAVILLAND DHC-7-102
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 56
- Engines: P&W PT6-50 1120 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Pan Am Express, Inc.
- Registered owner: Unknown
- Departed: BOS, BOSTON, MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: JFK, John F Kennedy, runway 13L, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 3,298 total, 945 in this make and model, 1,717 as pilot in command, 123 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °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).

- [Incident 19900729038299I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900729038299I), Jul 29, 1990: Dhav DHC7102, New York, NY, Minor damage. Unable to get gear down safe light. Nose gear collapsed on rollout. Recycled normally later.

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.

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