# Accident 20000319011519A: Piper PA31T1, Scottsdale, AZ, March 19, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 19, 2000, 19:45 local time
- Place: Scottsdale, AZ
- Airport: Scottsdale Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6599° N, 111.8700° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6599&lon=-111.8700&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5WC (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31T1
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A11
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA131) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000319011519A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 21 AT SDL. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT STATES HIS OUTSIDE REFERENCE WAS NOT NORMAL (TOO LOW). AT THAT POINT HE HEARD METAL SCRAPING AND THE PROPS HITTING THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ON RUNWAY. IT STARTED TO ANGLE TO THE RIGHT OF CENTERLINE AND WENT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A LIGHTED RUNWAY ID SIGN. THE SIGN PUNCTURED THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE AT THE LEADING RIGHT WING EDGE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON TOP OF THE SIGN WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT ENGINE AIR SCOOP COWLING AND TO THE RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE NEAR THE ENGINE ATTACH POINT. THE FLAPS, GEAR DOORS, BOTTOM ANTENNAS, BOTH AIR SCOOPS, PITOT TUBE AND RIGHT SPINNER WERE DAMAGED. NO INJURIES.--END-- (.4) ON MARCH 19, 2000, AT 1945 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-31-T1, N5WC, LANDED GEAR UP AT THE SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY GUNSLINGER INVESTMENT CORPORATION, TELLURIDE, COLORADO, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED IN TELLURIDE, CO                                                               LORADO, AT 1815, AND WAS TERMINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 21, HE FELT THE RUDDER PEDALS VIBRATING. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED AND HE HEARD THE PROPELLERS STRIKING THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT OFF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE AND STRUCK A RUNWAY LIGHT. THE PRESSURE BULKHEAD WAS PUNCTURED AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT ENGINE AIR SCOOP COWLING, THE RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE, THE FLAPS, GEAR DOORS, BOTTOM ANTENNAS, PITOT TUBE, AND RIGHT SPINNER. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR FROM THE SCOTTSDALE FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE RESPONDED TO THE SITE. HE REPORTED THAT ON MARCH 23, 2000, HE WITNESSED THE LANDING GEAR BEING SWUNG AT THE SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE TEST. THE LANDING GEAR LIGHT AND HORN SYSTEMS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.

## 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 LAX00LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA131), Mar 20, 2000: Piper PA-31-T1 (N5WC), Scottsdale, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was lowered before touchdown.

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.

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