Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 N6425

Summary

On 16 April 2004 at about 23:00 local time, a Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 registered N6425, operated by Frank L Boyce, was involved in an accident near Port St. Lucie, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 April 2004 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Port St. Lucie, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Treasure Coast Airpark (FL37)

Coordinates

27.2419, -80.4889

Aircraft

Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000

Registration

N6425

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Frank L Boyce

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakeland → Port St. Lucie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MIA04LA087

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in an inadvertent swerve, the right main landing gear wheel separating, and the airplane impacting trees and incurring structural damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that during rollout the "right wheel broke and directional control was impossible." He further stated that the airplane incurred damage to the lower right wing's three nose ribs, which needed to be replaced. The FAA did not respond to the scene, but two individuals who reside at the airport stated that they were at the scene they 'walked" the runway", and noted the marks made by the effect of landing gear. They said that there were no holes in the runway, and that they believed that the landing gear wheel broke from what appeared to be excessive side loads imposed during what appeared to be the beginning of a ground loop during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.