Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 24-250 near New Orleans, LA — 2015-09-19

Final reportCEN15LA444
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Date
2015-09-19
Location
New Orleans, LA, USA
Airport
NEW
Aircraft
PIPER PA 24-250
Registration
N7803P
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The collapse of the landing gear for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was landing the airplane after conducting a cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, after the main landing gear touched down, he heard a "throbbing" sound and thought that the right main landing gear tire had gone flat. The pilot applied left aileron in an attempt to lift the load off the right main tire. The airplane subsequently drifted left, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane then came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no anomalies with the landing gear system before landing. The airplane was examined about 1 month after the accident occurred. During the examination, the airplane was resting on a flatbed trailer, and the landing gear system and tires were not accessible; therefore, the reason for the landing gear collapse could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing after hearing the throbbing sound.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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