Piper PA-23-250 accident near Westport, Oklahoma, March 5, 2005
On March 5, 2005 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N33AC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westport, Oklahoma (Westport Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapsing of the right main landing gear as a result of the failure of the scissors assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2005 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Westport, Oklahoma · Westport Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N33AC · no longer on the register · serial 27-7405299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 5,500-hour pilot reported that during the landing roll on runway 3 (2,900-foot long and 42-foot wide asphalt runway), the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and traveled down a rock embankment, striking multiple small trees. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed that the right main landing gear Torque Link Assembly P/N 31805-06 (scissors assembly) was missing the following: bolt (P/N 751 370), cotter pin (P/N 424 052), castle nut (P/N 404 101), washer (P/N 407 565), and bushing (P/N 751 367).
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 28, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2004; 45.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4F1 Westport OK at 10:15 pm
- Destination: 4FI Westport OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,900 ft by 42 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from RVS, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.