What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on the day of this incident, 10/23/96, the FBO towed the airplane from the hangar. The pilot conducted a preflight inspection and everything appeared normal. The airplane was taxied to the runup area. After completing the engine runup, an ATC clearance was received for take off. As the airplane taxied toward the runway the mechanical gear lever "popped out" of the down and locked position and the airplane settled to the ground as all three wheels retracted. The pilot/owner said there had never been any problem with the landing gear and he has owned this airplane since 1983. The previous flight was completed on 10/06/96 without incident. The last annual inspection was completed in October 1995 by spencer aircraft, butler, Missouri. The airplane received minor damage. Both of the propeller blade tips struck the taxiway and the engine sustained sudden stoppage damage. There was minor damage to the nose wheel doors. Pitot tube and one antenna was broken off. A landing gear retraction test was conducted. Right main gear sustained bell crank damage when the gear folded and was locked in the down position during the inspection. The left gear and nose gear functioned properly. The landing gear handle was checked for proper operation and no malfunction was noted; however, it did take about 5 lbs. Of up pressure to get the handle into the up and locked position. This incident (CE97IGA0007) is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON THE DAY OF THIS INCIDENT, 10/23/96, THE FBO TOWED THE AIRPLANE FROM THE HANGAR. THE PILOT CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIED TO THE RUNUP AREA. AFTER COMPLETING THE ENGINE RUNUP, AN ATC CLEARANCE WAS RECEIVED FOR TAKE OFF. AS THE AIRPLANE TAXIED TOWARD THE RUNWAY THE MECHANICAL GEAR LEVER "POPPED OUT" OF THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO THE GROUND AS ALL THREE WHEELS RETRACTED. THE PILOT/OWNER SAID THERE HAD NEVER BEEN ANY PROBLEM WITH THE LANDING GEAR AND HE HAS OWNED THIS AIRPLANE SINCE 1983. THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT WAS COMPLETED ON 10/06/96 WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED IN OCTOBER 1995 BY SPENCER AIRCRAFT, BUTLER, MISSOURI. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. BOTH OF THE PROPELLER BLADE TIPS STRUCK THE TAXIWAY AND THE ENGINE SUSTAINED SUDDEN STOPPAGE DAMAGE. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NOSE WHEEL DOORS. PITOT TUBE AND ONE ANTENNA WAS BROKEN OFF. A LANDING GEAR RETRACTION TEST WAS CONDUCTED. RIGHT MAIN GEAR SUSTAINED BELL CRANK DAMAGE WHEN THE GEAR FOLDED AND WAS LOCKED IN THE DOWN POSITION DURING THE INSPECTION. THE LEFT GEAR AND NOSE GEAR FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION AND NO MALFUNCTION WAS NOTED; HOWEVER, IT DID TAKE ABOUT 5 LBS. OF UP PRESSURE TO GET THE HANDLE INTO THE UP AND LOCKED POSITION. THIS INCIDENT (CE97IGA0007) IS CLOSED.
Other reports on N5578Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.