# Incident 19970204006939I: Piper PA34200T, Miami, FL, February 4, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 4, 1997, 10:09 local time
- Place: Miami, FL
- Airport: Opa Locka Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 25.7743° N, 80.1937° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Miami, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7743&lon=-80.1937&mi=10
- Aircraft: N327CA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N327CA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200T (registry code 7103406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200T
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 250 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970204006939I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: ON FEBRUARY 4, 1997, I WAS DISPATCHED TO OPA LOCKA AIRPORT TO INVESTIGATE A REPORTED INCIDENT OF AN AIRCRAFT LANDING AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSING ON TOUCH DOWN. I ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 11:00 AM. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RECOVERED AND MOVED TO THE AIR SERVICE HANGER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON JACKS AND MR. TERRY RITTER WAS INSPECTING THE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO A RIGHT DOWN WIND TO RUNWAY 12. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE 110 TO 130 AT 20 KNOTS. UPON LANDING THE ROLL OUT WAS NORMAL UNTIL SUDDENLY THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO A STOP. HE SHUT OFF THE FUEL AND ENGINE CONTROLS (MAGS) THEN HE ADVISED THE TOWER OF HIS PREDICTAMENT. THE TOWER ADVISED HIM THAT THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT WAS ON THE WAY. HE THEN REPORTED THAT HE SHUT OFF THE POWER, RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION OF THE FAILED LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK HAD DISENGAGED, THIS ALLOWED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO RETRACT ON TOUCH DOWN. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIVETS THAT ATTACHED P/N 95724-02, MOUNT ASSEMBLY HAD SEARED. THIS ALLOWED THE MOUNT ASSEMBLY TO FLEX AND DISENGAGE THE DOWN LOCK.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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