What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-19) On February 27, 2001, at 1702 CST, a Piper PA-30, N8196Y, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing to runway 29 (6,501 feet by 150 feet, concrete). The aircraft undershor the runway striking a runway approach light and came to rest about 10 feet from the approach end of the runway. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91 and was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. The local flight originated at 1630. The pilot stated in a telephone interview that the flight was conducted to practice instrument approaches. He said that on one of the approaches, the green landing gear down indicator light did not illuminate. He said that he attempted to troubleshoot the problem but could not get a gear down indication. He said that he performed the emergency gear extension procedures and opened the gear actuator pane, located in the cockpit floor, and the actuator appeared to be in the down position. He said that he decided to land, and when on final approach, he throttled the engines back and pulled the mixture controls to the lean position. He said that the resulting descent rate was steeper than he expected and he impacted the forund short of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
(-19) ON FEBRUARY 27, 2001, AT 1702 CST, A PIPER PA-30, N8196Y, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO RUNWAY 29 (6,501 FEET BY 150 FEET, CONCRETE). THE AIRCRAFT UNDERSHOR THE RUNWAY STRIKING A RUNWAY APPROACH LIGHT AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 10 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 1630. THE PILOT STATED IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED TO PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES. HE SAID THAT ON ONE OF THE APPROACHES, THE GREEN LANDING GEAR DOWN INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. HE SAID THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT GET A GEAR DOWN INDICATION. HE SAID THAT HE PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURES AND OPENED THE GEAR ACTUATOR PANE, LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT FLOOR, AND THE ACTUATOR APPEARED TO BE IN THE DOWN POSITION. HE SAID THAT HE DECIDED TO LAND, AND WHEN ON FINAL APPROACH, HE THROTTLED THE ENGINES BACK AND PULLED THE MIXTURE CONTROLS TO THE LEAN POSITION. HE SAID THAT THE RESULTING DESCENT RATE WAS STEEPER THAN HE EXPECTED AND HE IMPACTED THE FORUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.