Event CHI90LA085

1990-02-18 PONTIAC, Michigan, United States Airport · PTK None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N8394D

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-28-161

Year of manufacture

1981 · 9 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19970910

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S AB7CB1

Registrant of record

TRIDENT AIRCRAFT INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N8394D Piper PA-28-161 None

Probable cause & findings

OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACH BOLTS FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

Factual narrative

THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND DUAL INSTRUMENT STUDENT WERE TAXIING FROM THE RAMP TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR BOLTS ON THE LEFT GEAR HAD FAILED. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THEY WERE TAXIING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON A SMOOTH, PAVED SURFACE, AND MOVING AT A NORMAL TAXI RATE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FAILURES APPEARED TO BE DUE TO OVERLOAD; THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A PREVIOUS HARD LANDING IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_CHI90LA085.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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