# NTSB SEA03LA085: Piper PA-31-350, N71749, Wenatchee, WA, May 20, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 19, 2003, 20:15 local (May 20, 2003, 03:15 UTC) - Place: Wenatchee, WA - Coordinates: 47.383335, -120.211387 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.3833&lon=-120.2114&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57023 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA03LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57023/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA085 ## Probable cause Failure of the nose gear steering system for undetermined reasons 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 - landing gear,steering system - failure (cause) ## Analysis During the landing roll, the nose gear began to oscillate when it made contact with the runway surface. The pilot applied up elevator to unload the nose gear. When the nose gear touched down again, the aircraft veered to the right side. The pilot tried to compensate with left rudder input, however, the aircraft traveled off the side of the runway surface onto soft terrain. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest off the side of the runway. Inspection of the nose gear found that the steering arm on top of the nose gear strut was missing. The part has not been located. ## Factual narrative On May 19, 2003, at 2015 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350, N71749, registered to and operated by Aeroflight Executive Services Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 135 on demand cargo flight, collapsed the nose gear during the landing roll at Pangborn Memorial Airport, Wenatchee, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Spokane, Washington, about one hour prior to the accident. The pilot reported that the taxi and takeoff from Spokane were normal. The landing at Wenatchee was made on runway 30. The pilot stated that the aircraft touched down and when the nose wheel contacted the surface, the nose jolted to the right. The pilot unloaded the nose gear by applying up elevator. When the nose wheel touched down again, the aircraft veered to the right. The pilot tried to counter with full left rudder input, however the aircraft continued to travel off the hard top surface of the runway onto soft terrain. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest off the side of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Spokane Flight Standards District Office inspected the aircraft and reported that the steering arm on top of the nose gear strut was missing. The arm assembly, part number 44386-00 has not been located. The three bolts that secure the steering arm to the strut are also missing. Additional damage noted that the nose landing gear extension/retraction arms were broken and deformed. The shimmy dampener attachment tabs are broken off at the attachment collar. It was noted that the nose gear strut housing had been weld repaired at the right side steering stop. The steering stop was deformed outward which allowed the nose wheel to turn approximately 80 degrees to the right. The left side steering stop appeared intact. The runway was inspected and it was noted that skid marks present on the runway appeared to be associated with the accident. The skid marks indicate that the nose wheel was oscillating for about 1,000 feet prior to the aircraft departing the side of the runway. The aircraft came to rest about 35 feet away from the runway edge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71749](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71749-2015-08-17), registration cancelled 2015-08-17, S/N 31-7652098, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-31-350 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-7652098 - Airframe hours: 14564 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Aeroflight Executive Services Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 20, 2002, 649 hours before - Departed: GEG, Spokane, WA - Destination: EAT, Wenatchee, WA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EAT, Pangborn Memorial, runway 12, 5,500 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 7, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 3,100 total, 65 in this make and model, 3,050 as pilot in command, 170 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 110° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: EAT ## 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 20030519010229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030519010229A), May 19, 2003: Piper PA31350, Wenatchee, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) At approximately 2015 hrs on 05-19-2003 N71749, a PA-31-350 N71749 ran off runway 30 at the Wenatchee, WA airport (eat) while landing. There is evidence… 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.