What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The following statement was obtained through an interview with the pilot and on-scene investigation by personnel from the allegheny FSDO, EA03. While on final approach to landing from a VFR pleasure flight, pilot attempted to lower the landing gear, however he did not receive a safe gear indication light. He recycled the gear with no results. The pilot then conducted a fly by at the airport to have personnel on the ground determine the position of the landing gear. The people on the ground told the pilot that the gear appeared to be 1/2 to 2/3 extended. The pilot then departed the airport traffic pattern and attempted an emergency gear extension with no satisfactory results. He then attempted to shake the gear loose with several high "g" maneuvers, again with no results. The pilot returned to the airport and landed with the gear partially extended. After touchdown, the aircraft traveled approsimately 180 feet, sustaining minor damage to the belly panels, nose gear doors and propeller. Main gear actuator removed for further examination. During accident investigations conducted on 8/31/99, 9/7/99 through 9/10/99, and 11/5/99, it was determined that the coupler in the main landing gear drive motor assembly failed. A portion of this coupler jammed between the assembly structure and the 90 degree drive shaft on the jack screw side of the assembly. This coupler is made of two inter connected pieces of metal held together with a rubber disk. The a/c landing gear system was found operational except for the failed coupler, and the damage sustained from the gear unsafe landing. Maintenance records reviewed indicated that the coupler was original equipment (30 yrs. Old - 1340 hours since new). AD 75-23-04 parts I, ii, and iii had been complied with but do not pertain to this coupler. Mooney service instructions deals with this coupler but had not been complied with.
As the FAA filed it
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS OBTAINED THROUGH AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT AND ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION BY PERSONNEL FROM THE ALLEGHENY FSDO, EA03. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING FROM A VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR, HOWEVER HE DID NOT RECEIVE A SAFE GEAR INDICATION LIGHT. HE RECYCLED THE GEAR WITH NO RESULTS. THE PILOT THEN CONDUCTED A FLY BY AT THE AIRPORT TO HAVE PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND DETERMINE THE POSITION OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND TOLD THE PILOT THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE 1/2 TO 2/3 EXTENDED. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN AND ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION WITH NO SATISFACTORY RESULTS. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHAKE THE GEAR LOOSE WITH SEVERAL HIGH "G" MANEUVERS, AGAIN WITH NO RESULTS. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED WITH THE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED APPROSIMATELY 180 FEET, SUSTAINING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE BELLY PANELS, NOSE GEAR DOORS AND PROPELLER. MAIN GEAR ACTUATOR REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. DURING ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED ON 8/31/99, 9/7/99 THROUGH 9/10/99, AND 11/5/99, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COUPLER IN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DRIVE MOTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED. A PORTION OF THIS COUPLER JAMMED BETWEEN THE ASSEMBLY STRUCTURE AND THE 90 DEGREE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE JACK SCREW SIDE OF THE ASSEMBLY. THIS COUPLER IS MADE OF TWO INTER CONNECTED PIECES OF METAL HELD TOGETHER WITH A RUBBER DISK. THE A/C LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WAS FOUND OPERATIONAL EXCEPT FOR THE FAILED COUPLER, AND THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED FROM THE GEAR UNSAFE LANDING. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVIEWED INDICATED THAT THE COUPLER WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (30 YRS. OLD - 1340 HOURS SINCE NEW). AD 75-23-04 PARTS I, II, AND III HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH BUT DO NOT PERTAIN TO THIS COUPLER. MOONEY SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS DEALS WITH THIS COUPLER BUT HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH.
Other reports on N9371V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.