Piper PA28A accident near Lubbock, Texas, November 2, 2005
On November 2, 2005 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA28A, registered N828MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock International Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing due to the separation of the nose landing gear tire assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 2005 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · Lubbock International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28A · all PA28As on the register
- Registration
- N828MC · registry record · serial 28-4615
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 485-hour flight instructor and the 11-hour student pilot were executing a crosswind landing during a local training flight. Shortly after touch down on Runway 17R, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane began to skid down the runway. While attempting to bring the airplane to a stop, the propeller and left wing contacted the ground. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 180 degrees at 11 knots. An examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the axel for the nose landing gear was missing and it was later located along the centerline of the runway. The lock nut securing the axle to the landing gear assembly was not located, and it was not determined why the nut was not in place. The last annual inspection was completed on October 24, 2005, about 22.2 hours prior to the mishap. No recent maintenance was reported on the nose landing gear assembly.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 485 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 370 as pilot in command; 170 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,479.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O 360 A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lubbock TX
- Destination: Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from LBB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.