N318PA

Substantial
None

Piper PA-44-180S/N: 4496134

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
NTSB Number
LAX08CA067
Location
Gila Bend, AZ
Event ID
20080430X00565
Coordinates
32.960277, -112.673614
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The flight crew's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during the landing roll, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
4496134
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2002
Model / ICAO
PA-44-180PA44
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Multi Engine
No. of Engines
2
Seats
4
FAA Model
PA-44-180

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
BIRD ACQUISITION LLC
Address
530 W DEER VALLEY RD STE 100
City
PHOENIX
State / Zip Code
AZ 85027-2143
Country
United States

Analysis

The flight crew inadvertently retracted the landing gear during the landing rollout. The pilot under instruction (PUI) and the certified flight instructor (CFI) had both confirmed that the landing gear indicator lights were illuminated, and visually confirmed the nose gear was extended by use of the airframe mirror. The pilots indicated that after touchdown the right wing started to drop, and the CFI took the controls but the airplane veered off of the runway. As the pilots secured the airplane, they both observed the landing gear activation switch in the retracted position. During the recovery of the airplane the landing gear was extended, retracted, and then extended again. No damage to the landing gear locking mechanism was observed. The safety officer of the flight academy interviewed the flight crew and the recovery personnel. After the interviews it was determined that during the landing rollout and subsequent take-off roll, one of the crewmembers inadvertently placed the landing gear selector in the "up" position.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX08CA067