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Atlas / NTSB / BFO87LA058

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event BFO87LA058

1987-08-23 SOMERVILLE, Virginia, United States Airport · 8W8 Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N81CA

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

SOCATA TB 10

Year of manufacture

1989

Engine

LYCOMING O-360-A1AD (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

5 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20191214

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S AB0736

Registrant of record

COLEMAN AEROCLUB

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE NOSE GEAR PREMATURELY RETRACTED AND THE PROPS CONTACTED THE GRAVEL RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF AND THE ACFT SETTLED INTO TREES OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL THE CAUSE OF THE GEAR RETRACTION. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR AND HAD TO MANUALLY HAND PUMP THE GEAR DOWN. ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT INSPECTED AND LUBRICATED THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_BFO87LA058.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.