# NTSB NYC91LA248: Fairchild SW3, N159MC, Atlantic City, NJ, September 29, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 28, 1991, 21:17 local (Sep 29, 1991, 01:17 UTC)
- Place: Atlantic City, NJ
- Location: 39.4576° N, 74.5772° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at ATLANTIC CITY INTL (ACY), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4576&lon=-74.5772&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 27, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 37021
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC91LA248
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/37021/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC91LA248

## Probable cause

A FAILURE OF THE DOWN LOCK ROLLER BEARINGS OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, AS THE RESULT OF AN IMPROPER MODIFICATION.

## Sequence of events

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

- Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,gear locking mechanism - failure,total (cause)
  - maintenance,modification - improper, other maintenance personnel (cause)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not possible, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - directional control - not possible, copilot/second pilot (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 31.  UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE A MODIFICATION TO INCREASE ITS GROSS OPERATING WEIGHT FROM 14,500 TO 16,000 POUNDS.  IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH ACTUATOR POSITIONING CAMS HAD BEEN GROUND DOWN AT THE DOWN LOCK LOBES. REMOVAL OF MATERIAL FROM THE CAMS IS NOT AUTHORIZED ON THIS AIRPLANE.  BOTH RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK ROLLER BEARING OUTER RACES HAD FAILED.  THE FAA FOUND ONE BEARING IN PIECES ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE OTHER WAS NOT RECOVERED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N159MC (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: FAIRCHILD SW3
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 728
- Airframe hours: 4205
- Engines: GARRETT TPE33111U612G 1000 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Jet Express, Inc.
- Registered owner: Ccd Air Twenty Two, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: AAIP, September 26, 1991, 12 hours before
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: ACY, Atlantic City Itnl., runway 31, 10,000 × 180 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,900 total, 105 in this make and model, 402 as pilot in command, 162.5 in the last 90 days, 68 in the last 30 days, 3.7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 75 °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).

- [Accident 19910928063109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910928063109A), Sep 28, 1991: Swrngn SA227AC, Atlantic City, NJ, Substantial damage. Right main gear collapsed on touchdown. Right prop wing tip hit runway. Down lock bearing failed.

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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