N8493P

On April 15, 2022, about 0530 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-24-400 airplane, N8493P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Benson Municipal Airport (E95), Benson, Arizona. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was as operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, he was approaching E95 to land when a departing helicopter reported deer near the runway. The pilot stated that he “turned on the landing lights, dropped the gear and started [his] approach to runway 10.” He did not see any deer activity and proceeded to land. Upon landing, the airplane began to shake and then stopped with its belly on the runway and the main landing gear partially extended. The nose gear was not visible due to the airplane’s resting position on the runway.

According to personnel who recovered the airplane, the landing gear switch was in the down position at recovery. When the airplane was lifted off the runway, the landing gear remained in a partially extended position and did not operate when power was applied to the airplane and the landing gear switch was manipulated. The landing gear was subsequently lowered and locked into position when the emergency gear system was used. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the skins, frames, and stringers on the belly of the fuselage.

During a postaccident examination, the airplane was placed on jack stands for an operational check of the landing gear system. The landing gear motor circuit breaker was found popped. The circuit breaker was reset, and the landing gear was subsequently cycled multiple times, with the landing gear being raised and lowered using the airplane’s electrical power and the landing gear switch. The gear position indicator lights operated normally when the gear changed positions. No damage was noted to the main landing gear wheels or gear doors or the nosewheel. Abrasion damage was noted to the face of both nose gear doors, consistent with the doors being closed during landing. The landing gear was extended to about the position that was observed during recovery. Both the nosewheel and nose gear doors extended about 5 inches below the fuselage. No preimpact anomalies were noted during the examination that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear.