19991121036519I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA34200T · Auburn, AL · November 21, 1999

Date: November 21, 1999 · 15:45 local
Place: Auburn, AL
Airport: Auburn-Opelika G Pitts Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N8464C
Reported as: Piper PA34200T
Reported engine: Continental TSIO360*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 950 total35 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

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) Pilot stated on approach when he selected gear down the left and right main down and locked lights illuminated but the nose light did not illuminate and the intransit light stayed on. The pilor performed a low approach so ground personnel could look at the status of the gear. They indicated to him that the nose gear was partially extended. The pilot cycled the gear and there was no change, he then performed an emergency extension and again there was no change. The pilot then performed various maneuvers to try to get the gear to come down, again with no change. The pilot did another low approach for ground personal to look at the status of the gear they indicated there was no change. At this time the pilot elected to land the aircraft. Just prior to touch down, the pilot feathered both engines to preclude propeller and engine damaged. Aircraft came to rest on the runway center line with no injury to the pilot who was the sole occupant.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED ON APPROACH WHEN HE SELECTED GEAR DOWN THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHTS ILLUMINATED BUT THE NOSE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE AND THE INTRANSIT LIGHT STAYED ON. THE PILOR PERFORMED A LOW APPROACH SO GROUND PERSONNEL COULD LOOK AT THE STATUS OF THE GEAR. THEY INDICATED TO HIM THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS PARTIALLY EXTENDED. THE PILOT CYCLED THE GEAR AND THERE WAS NO CHANGE, HE THEN PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY EXTENSION AND AGAIN THERE WAS NO CHANGE. THE PILOT THEN PERFORMED VARIOUS MANEUVERS TO TRY TO GET THE GEAR TO COME DOWN, AGAIN WITH NO CHANGE. THE PILOT DID ANOTHER LOW APPROACH FOR GROUND PERSONAL TO LOOK AT THE STATUS OF THE GEAR THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NO CHANGE. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN, THE PILOT FEATHERED BOTH ENGINES TO PRECLUDE PROPELLER AND ENGINE DAMAGED. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE WITH NO INJURY TO THE PILOT WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT.