Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA23 near Montgomery, AL — 2024-06-25

Final reportERA24LA275
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Date
2024-06-25
Location
Montgomery, AL, USA
Airport
MGM
Aircraft
PIPER PA23
Registration
N14175
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The failure of the nose landing gear actuator to maintain a fully down and locked position.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was completing a practice instrument approach, and after extending the landing gear he saw 3 green lights, indicating the landing gear were down and locked. He continued the approach as normal and touched down on the main landing gear, but as the nose lowered it continued “straight to the ground.” The airplane skidded on its nose down the runway before coming to a stop. The forward lower portion of the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. Following the accident, the nose landing gear actuator was removed, and bench-tested under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The test revealed that when hydraulic pressure was removed from extension side of the actuator it began an uncommanded movement in the opposite, landing gear retraction, direction. This uncommanded movement was likely due to internal leakage in the actuator, which would have prevented the nose landing gear from remaining in the fully down and locked position.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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