Pilot Debrief

Piper PA34 near Kingman, KS — 2019-09-11

Final reportCEN19LA315
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Date
2019-09-11
Location
Kingman, KS, USA
Airport
9K8
Aircraft
Piper PA34
Registration
N328RG
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The malfunction of the landing gear extension system for reasons that could not be determined with the available evidence.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a personal flight when, during final approach for landing, the gear unsafe warning horn sounded. The pilot made a go-around when he saw the gear safe indicator lights were not illuminated. The pilot verified, with another pilot on the ground, that the landing gear were not extended after several attempts to extend the landing gear, including using the emergency extension procedure. The pilot then made a wheels-up landing on the runway, during which the airplane’s lower fuselage structural longerons were substantially damaged. After the accident, the landing gear extended into the down-and-locked position when the airplane was hoisted off the runway surface using a crane and straps. Postaccident examination and testing revealed no issues with the normal landing gear extension/retraction system or the emergency extension procedure. The investigation was unable to duplicate the pilot’s report that he was unable to extend the landing gear using the normal and/or emergency procedures during the flight. The reason for the malfunction of the landing gear extension system could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have opted for an emergency landing sooner after gear malfunction.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents9

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