# Accident 19990508020559A: Piper PA24250, Southern Pines, NC, May 8, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 8, 1999, 17:30 local time - Place: Southern Pines, NC - Airport: Moore County - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.1795° N, 79.3994° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1795&lon=-79.3994&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7001P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7001P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA24250 - Reported engine: LYC O540* - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 275 total, 59 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA082) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990508020559A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON MAY 8, 1999, AT 1730 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA24, N7001P, SKIDDED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 23, DURING A WHEELS-UP LANDING AT THE MOORE COUNTY AIRPORT, IN SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH A FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER/PILOT WERE NOT INJURED; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM WADESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, AT 1200. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE LANDED AT HIS FIRST PLANNED REFUELING STOP. AFTER REFUELING, THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT TO NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA. UPON ARRIVING IN NEWPORT NEWS, THE PILOT ENTERED VISUAL TRAFFIC FOR A FULL STOP LANDING. DURING THE BEFORE LANDING CHECK, THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE, AND NOTICED AN UNSAFE LANDING GEAR INDICATION. THE PILOT COMPLETED THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE, THAT ALSO FAILED. THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO NORTH CAROLINA FOR THE LANDING. WHILE ENROUTE AND UPON ARRIVING IN SOUTHERN PINES, THE PILOT CONTINUED TO EXTEND THE LANDING. THE PILOT MADE A WHEELS-UP LANDING ON RUNWAY 23. (.4)THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WADESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, EN ROUTE TO NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP IN AHOSKIE, NORTH CAROLINA. UPON ARRIVING IN NEWPORT NEWS, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR AND NOTICED AN UNSAFE LANDING GEAR INDICATION. NORMAL AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA. HE PERFORMED A WHEELS-UP LANDING ON THE GRASS BETWEEN THE TWO RUNWAYS AND DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A DITCH. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE STRAP BRACKET ASSEMBLY WAS MISSING THE NUT THAT ATTACHES IT TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SPRING ATTACHMENT BRACKET. AS A RESULT, THE LEFT LANDING GEAR HAD COME LOOSE AND REVERSED DIRECTION, PREVENTING THE LANDING GEAR FROM FULLY EXTENDING AND LOCKING IN THE DOWN POSITION. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL99LA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA082), May 8, 1999: Piper PA-24-250 (N7001P), Southern Pines, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the left main landing gear retraction assembly as a result of the disconnection of the left main landing gear strap bracket assembly from the main gear spring attachment bracket due to… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.