19990805024449I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Indiana, PA · August 5, 1999

Date: August 5, 1999 · 12:15 local
Place: Indiana, PA
Airport: Indiana Co/Jimmy Stewart Fld A
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N38388
Reported as: Piper PA32R300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1G5D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,902 total1,335 in this make and model41 in the last 90 days

N38388Registered now · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7780422 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 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.

(-23) The aircraft battery was weak when the pilot attempted to start the airplane for a flight to butler, PA. The pilot elected to "jump start" the aircraft and was successful in doing so. When the pilot rotated from the runway and selected the landing gear to its "up" position, a complete electrical failure was encountered and he decided to return to the airport of departure. The pilot accomplished the before landing check list but neglected to accomplish the emergency landing gear extension check list, causing the aircraft to land with the gear in a transient position. The airplane sustained minor damage to its underside, the propeller, and engine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY WAS WEAK WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRPLANE FOR A FLIGHT TO BUTLER, PA. THE PILOT ELECTED TO "JUMP START" THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN DOING SO. WHEN THE PILOT ROTATED FROM THE RUNWAY AND SELECTED THE LANDING GEAR TO ITS "UP" POSITION, A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS ENCOUNTERED AND HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE. THE PILOT ACCOMPLISHED THE BEFORE LANDING CHECK LIST BUT NEGLECTED TO ACCOMPLISH THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR EXTENSION CHECK LIST, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND WITH THE GEAR IN A TRANSIENT POSITION. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO ITS UNDERSIDE, THE PROPELLER, AND ENGINE.