N919RD

On December 16, 1999, at 1515 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-31T1, N919RD, impacted terrain when it failed to climb following takeoff from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The private pilot received serious injuries and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for this cross-country flight to Olathe, Kansas. The flight was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, the takeoff was conducted on runway 33 and the takeoff roll appeared normal with both engines producing desired power output. The takeoff seemed "normal at which point I retracted the landing gear. Immediately upon initiating retraction of the landing gear, instead of continuing its climb, the aircraft started to settle towards the ground. Engine gauges still appeared normal and the nose indicated 3 to 4 degrees up." The pilot indicated in his narrative there was no yaw to either side during the event. He said he thought he had encountered low level wind shear.

The pilot said he altered the heading about 10 degrees to the right to avoid some ditches and mounds and extended the landing gear. According to the pilot he "crash landed" the airplane and emergency services transported him to medical facilities with serious back injuries.

An FAA Airworthiness Inspector examined the aircraft and the accident scene. He reported both engines/propellers bore signatures of producing power at the time of impact and found propeller strike marks from both propellers beginning approximately 1,000 feet prior to the end of the runway. He also found the elevator trim set at 12 degrees nose up and research provided information the normal trim setting was 3-6 degrees nose up, the aircraft was within proper weight and balance. The landing gear was in the down position at impact.

A witness observed the aircraft after having his attention attracted by hearing a scraping or banging noise. The witness related the aircraft was "at an altitude of about 50 feet and the landing gear was in the up position. He said he then observed the landing gear extending as the aircraft leveled off and entered a shallow left turn to the northwest. The aircraft then disappeared over the horizon followed by a cloud of dust."

At 1453, about 22 minutes before the accident, the Santa Fe airport observed wind was from 360 degrees magnetic heading at 17 knots. There were no reported gusts and no reports of microburst/wind shear activity. (The Santa Fe airport is not equipped with low-level wind shear {LLWAS} detection equipment).

Inquiry of Piper Aircraft produced information that induced drag increases during landing gear retraction and extension due to landing gear doors being extended into the air stream as the landing gear cycles. According to the information provided, under low speed conditions, acceleration can be interrupted during cycling of the landing gear, and if the aircraft is on or behind the power curve, deceleration and settling can occur.