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19980813029779A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Blanding, UT · August 13, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 13, 1998 · 14:15 local
Place
Blanding, UT
Airport
Blanding Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
DYVA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N6935C
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA369
Reported as
Piper PA34200T
Reported engine
Continental TSIO360EB
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,151 total
N6935CRegistration cancelled Sep 27, 2011 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-7870167 · Built 1978Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200TEngine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The pilot told his employer that the nose landing gear would not extend, and he diverted to another airport where he landed with the nose gear retracted. Inspection disclosed damage consistent with a hard landing. Two witnesses later reported having observed the hard landing. A passenger aboard the airplane later corrborated the report. The pilot was later terminated and attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. (-23) the pilot departed Blanding, Utah enroute to chinle, Arizona conducting an FAR 135 flight. A nurse and patient were onboard. The aircraft arrived at chinle and the pilot was apparently was in a hurry and did not make a proper flare prior to touchdown at chinle. This resulted in the pilot firmly planting the aircraft on the runway on the nose gear first. As a result of this the nose gear was overstressed. The pilot then elected to return to his home base of Blanding, Utah. Upon attempting to land at Blanding, it was discovered that the nose gear would not extend and the pilot elected to land with the nose gear retracted.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT TOLD HIS EMPLOYER THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND, AND HE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WHERE HE LANDED WITH THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED. INSPECTION DISCLOSED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH A HARD LANDING. TWO WITNESSES LATER REPORTED HAVING OBSERVED THE HARD LANDING. A PASSENGER ABOARD THE AIRPLANE LATER CORRBORATED THE REPORT. THE PILOT WAS LATER TERMINATED AND ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT HIM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. (-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED BLANDING, UTAH ENROUTE TO CHINLE, ARIZONA CONDUCTING AN FAR 135 FLIGHT. A NURSE AND PATIENT WERE ONBOARD. THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT CHINLE AND THE PILOT WAS APPARENTLY WAS IN A HURRY AND DID NOT MAKE A PROPER FLARE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN AT CHINLE. THIS RESULTED IN THE PILOT FIRMLY PLANTING THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY ON THE NOSE GEAR FIRST. AS A RESULT OF THIS THE NOSE GEAR WAS OVERSTRESSED. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO RETURN TO HIS HOME BASE OF BLANDING, UTAH. UPON ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT BLANDING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND WITH THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA369Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBlanding, UTThe pilot's inadequate landing flare, causing components of the nose wheel landing gear to fracture.Aug 13, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6935C · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19880902059499ILevel Off Touchdown · Birmingham, ALMade go around when left wing settled. Unsafe gear light. Flew to Birmingham. Part of left gear separated on touchdownSep 2, 1988 · Minor damageIncident 19830526067799IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Muscle Shoals, ALRight main gear housing broke after a normal landing.May 26, 1983 · Minor damage