North American NA-265-80 N100EJ

Summary

On 5 July 1997 at about 22:00 local time, a North American NA-265-80 registered N100EJ was involved in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 July 1997 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Ardmore Municipal (ADM)

Coordinates

34.1901, -97.1105

Aircraft

North American NA-265-80

Registration

N100EJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Cleveland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA254

Nobody was injured.

The failure of maintenance personnel to mask the gear locking pins prior to painting the airplane which resulted in the right main gear locking pin jamming in the unlocked position due to contamination with paint. A factor was the failure of maintenance personnel to mask the power brake valve pistons prior to painting which resulted in the left power brake valve jamming in the emergency (power off) position due to contamination with paint.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to the accident flight, the airplane was completely stripped and repainted by a maintenance facility at the departure airport. When the gear was retracted after takeoff, the pilot noticed that the landing gear warning light was illuminated. He lowered the landing gear, and the down and locked indicator light for the right main gear did not illuminate. Emergency gear extension procedures did not correct the discrepancy. The pilot elected to return to the airport and decided not to use thrust reversers during the landing roll to minimize yaw. There was 'no significant pedal pressure' when he applied brakes following touchdown, and the airplane overran the runway. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing contacted the ground. Examination revealed that the main gear downlock pins had been painted which resulted in the right pin sticking in the retracted (unlocked) position when the gear was raised after takeoff. Additionally, the power brake valve pistons had been painted which resulted in the left piston sticking in the emergency (power off) position when the pilot tested the emergency brakes before takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.