ATL87LA133
1987-05-06 · SPARTANBURG, South Carolina, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport SPA
N713DM has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV7A, built 2023), which was not involved in this event.
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE LOWERED THE LDG GEAR AND OBSERVED A DOWN-AND-LOCKED INDICATION ON THE LDG GEAR POSITION LIGHT ON FINAL APPCH. DURING ROLLOUT, HE FELT A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE NOSE GEAR AND PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE IT. HE THEN APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AS THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP, THE RT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE COCKPIT AND THE PLT EXITED THE ACFT THROUGH THE EMERGENCY EXIT. RESCUE PERSONNEL REPORTED FINDING THE ACFT RESTING GEAR-UP ON THE RWY WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT. AN A&P MECHANIC ON-SCENE ASSISTED IN EXTINGUISHING A FIRE THAT HAD BROKEN OUT, AND ENTERED THE ACFT AFTERWARD. HE REPORTED FINDING THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER IN THE 'UP' POSITION. HE NOTED THAT THE FLAP SELECTOR WAS IN THE 'DOWN' POSITION. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE ACFT BY THE FAA REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MALFUNCTION OR MECH FAILURE IN THE LDG GEAR DOWN-LOCK SYSTEM. THE INBD MLG DOORS WERE OBSERVED TO BE PARTIALLY GROUND AWAY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1987_ATL87LA133.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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