Amateur-built DHC-7 accident near Kwajalein, Ms, November 27, 1999
On November 27, 1999 at about 9:07 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-7, registered N273EP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kwajalein (Bucholz Aaf airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 18 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the flight crew to properly execute the emergency landing gear extension procedure in response to a landing gear unsafe cockpit indication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 1999 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Kwajalein, Montserrat · Bucholz Aaf
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 18 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-7
- Registration
- N273EP · no longer on the register · serial 011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approaching the destination, when the landing gear was lowered, the nose gear indicated unsafe and, without landing, the flight returned to the point of departure. The pilot-in-command viewed the nose gear alignment marks in the nose gear inspection window and believed the nose gear was down and locked, and that the gear unsafe light was an erroneous indication. During the landing rollout, the nose landing gear slowly collapsed as the weight of the aircraft settled on the nose. Investigation by the operator revealed a failure at the boss end of the nose gear extend actuator. The operator also determined that the flight crew did not accomplish the emergency gear extension procedure as specified in the Airplane Flight Manual. During recovery of the aircraft from the runway, operation of the emergency gear extension hand pump lowered and locked the nose gear in 8 strokes of the pump.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,712 hours in all; 4,040 in this make and model; 142 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 9,889 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,021 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 24, 1999; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 44,000 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-50 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Raytheon Systems Engr'G
The flight
- Departed from: PKWA at 8:29 pm
- Destination: PKRO Roi-Namur
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 6,760 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from PKW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 15 |
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.