19990902028269I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Roanoke, VA · September 2, 1999

Date: September 2, 1999 · 23:45 local
Place: Roanoke, VA
Airport: Roanoke Regional/Woodrum Field
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N377SM
Reported as: Piper PA32R300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1G5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,293 total436 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N377SMRegistered now · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7780223 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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) On 09/02/1999, at 2345 EDT, as the pilot began the approach to runway 24 Roanoke airport (roa), the landing gear was lowered, but only two gear came down. The left main gear remained in the up position. Upon further investigation, it was determined that a Piper bolt part number 403-055 an (AN3C-10A), had been installed improperly causing the bolt to strike against the main wing spar, which prevented the gear from extending. The aircraft had just been picked up from being painted at a paint shop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 09/02/1999, AT 2345 EDT, AS THE PILOT BEGAN THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24 ROANOKE AIRPORT (ROA), THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED, BUT ONLY TWO GEAR CAME DOWN. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR REMAINED IN THE UP POSITION. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A PIPER BOLT PART NUMBER 403-055 AN (AN3C-10A), HAD BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY CAUSING THE BOLT TO STRIKE AGAINST THE MAIN WING SPAR, WHICH PREVENTED THE GEAR FROM EXTENDING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST BEEN PICKED UP FROM BEING PAINTED AT A PAINT SHOP.