N9268C

Substantial
None

PIPER PA-28R-201TS/N: 28R-7803248

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, October 6, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA12CA028
Location
Culpeper, VA
Event ID
20111016X35948
Coordinates
38.521945, -77.855552
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate knowledge of the airplane's emergency gear extension procedures, which resulted in his failure to successfully perform a manual extension of the landing gear.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N9268C
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28R-7803248
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1978
Model / ICAO
PA-28R-201TP28S
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
EAST INGLEWOOD
1643 MILLTHORPHE RD
Status
Deregistered
City
MILLTHORPE
State / Zip Code
NSW 2-798
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot/owner, the airplane experienced a loss of electrical power and he decided to return to the airport. On the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot moved the landing gear lever to the down position, but did not see the three green lights or hear the landing gear extend. He then called a maintenance facility located at the airport and asked them to verify if the landing gear was down while he performed a low pass over the runway. The maintenance personnel indicated that the gear was not down, and the pilot attempted an emergency gear extension procedure. After another low pass, the maintenance personnel stated that the gear was extended and the pilot landed the airplane. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered off the runway, and impacted a runway light, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the battery had been removed prior to his arrival, therefore, the reason for the electrical failure could not be determined. Examination and operation of the landing gear revealed no anomalies. The pilot owned the airplane for about 8 years prior to the accident, and had accumulated 1,650 hours of flight time in make and model. When asked by the FAA inspector, the pilot could not successfully perform nor articulate the emergency gear extension procedure. The pilot was then handed the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) and asked to locate the procedure in the handbook. The pilot was unable to locate the emergency landing gear extension procedure in the POH.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA12CA028