N9290P

Substantial
None

PIPER PA-44-180S/N: 4496019

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
NTSB Number
CEN10CA311
Location
Okmulgee, OK
Event ID
20100610X10955
Coordinates
35.668056, -95.948608
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
3
Total Aboard
3

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot’s inadvertent retraction of the nose landing gear and the flight instructor's delayed response.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
4496019
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1997
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
SPARTAN EDUCATION LLC
Address
8820 E PINE ST
City
TULSA
State / Zip Code
OK 74115-5802
Country
United States

Analysis

Following a practice instrument approach, the student pilot and flight instructor intended to perform a touch-and-go maneuver. During the landing roll the instructor informed the student to retract the twin-engine airplane’s flaps; however, the student inadvertently moved the landing gear retraction/extension handle to the “up” position. Although, the instructor moved the landing gear handle back to the “down” position, the airplane’s nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane continued down the runway about 240 feet before exiting the right side of the runway into the grass. The airplane came to rest in a nose down position and all three occupants were able to exit unassisted. An examination of the airplane by maintenance personnel after the accident revealed that the right wing sustained structural damage. There were no reported anomalies with the airplane’s landing gear prior to the accident.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA311