What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on August 15, 1996, I arrived at the Millington airport at approximately 1240 local time. Upon entering the maintenance hangar, I found Piper aircraft, twin comanche, N8217Y, on jacks with the landing gear in mid-travel. During my inspection of the aircraft, I found both prop tips curled, pitot tube bent, sheet metal damage on the undercarriage, nose landing gear door and left wing tip tank. Both prop spinners and the aircraft battery were removed. All damage was minor and no substantial damage to the airframe was noted. During a cockpit inspection with Mr. Art deaton, the FBO operator, and evaluating the reason why the gear would not fully extend using the emergency procedures, we found that the mechanism that disengages the landing gear from the motor was not unlocked completely which prevented the gear from falling and locking. This was discovered as Mr. Deaton and I were going through the emergency landing gear procedures. Mr. Deaton was advised by the owner to repair the aircraft and search for the cause of the total electrical failure. During my interview with Mr. Deaton, he explained the following sequence of events to me: "Mr. Danciger had a normal runup and taxied. He made a normal takeoff and immediately after liftoff, he noticed the nav lights go dim as the aircraft climbed out. There was no radio communication with Mr. Danciger as he circled the airport. After approximately 45 minutes, he heard Mr. Danciger land with the screeching of rubber and then he heard metal and saw sparks emitting from the aircraft as it proceeded down the runway".
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON AUGUST 15, 1996, I ARRIVED AT THE MILLINGTON AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1240 LOCAL TIME. UPON ENTERING THE MAINTENANCE HANGAR, I FOUND PIPER AIRCRAFT, TWIN COMANCHE, N8217Y, ON JACKS WITH THE LANDING GEAR IN MID-TRAVEL. DURING MY INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, I FOUND BOTH PROP TIPS CURLED, PITOT TUBE BENT, SHEET METAL DAMAGE ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE, NOSE LANDING GEAR DOOR AND LEFT WING TIP TANK. BOTH PROP SPINNERS AND THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY WERE REMOVED. ALL DAMAGE WAS MINOR AND NO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME WAS NOTED. DURING A COCKPIT INSPECTION WITH MR. ART DEATON, THE FBO OPERATOR, AND EVALUATING THE REASON WHY THE GEAR WOULD NOT FULLY EXTEND USING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, WE FOUND THAT THE MECHANISM THAT DISENGAGES THE LANDING GEAR FROM THE MOTOR WAS NOT UNLOCKED COMPLETELY WHICH PREVENTED THE GEAR FROM FALLING AND LOCKING. THIS WAS DISCOVERED AS MR. DEATON AND I WERE GOING THROUGH THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR PROCEDURES. MR. DEATON WAS ADVISED BY THE OWNER TO REPAIR THE AIRCRAFT AND SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE OF THE TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. DURING MY INTERVIEW WITH MR. DEATON, HE EXPLAINED THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS TO ME: "MR. DANCIGER HAD A NORMAL RUNUP AND TAXIED. HE MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF, HE NOTICED THE NAV LIGHTS GO DIM AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED OUT. THERE WAS NO RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH MR. DANCIGER AS HE CIRCLED THE AIRPORT. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES, HE HEARD MR. DANCIGER LAND WITH THE SCREECHING OF RUBBER AND THEN HE HEARD METAL AND SAW SPARKS EMITTING FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS IT PROCEEDED DOWN THE RUNWAY".
Other reports on N8217Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.