20010910029739I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-23-160 · Chandler, AZ · September 10, 2001

Date: September 10, 2001 · 09:49 local
Place: Chandler, AZ
Airport: Stellar Airpark Airport
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N3368P
Reported as: Piper PA23160
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 230 total141 in this make and model55 in the last 90 days

N3368PRegistration cancelled May 16, 2013 · Piper PA-23-160S/N 23-1325 · Built 1958 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-160 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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) During taxi out, CFI noticed nose landing gear green light was out. She attempted to swap lights to verify the condition of the nose light however could not remove the light from the panel. Student had accomplished the engine runup and was beginning the take off run. CFI stated that she assumed it was an indication problem as the nose gear held during the taxi and decided to continue with the instructional flight. Shortly after takeoff, at about 500 feet AGL, the cabin door popped open and the CFI decided to immediately return for landing as the airplane was not holding altitude. CFI selected gear down, again no nose gear green light but didn't have time to trouble shoot at this point. Upon touchdown, nose gear collapsed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING TAXI OUT, CFI NOTICED NOSE LANDING GEAR GREEN LIGHT WAS OUT. SHE ATTEMPTED TO SWAP LIGHTS TO VERIFY THE CONDITION OF THE NOSE LIGHT HOWEVER COULD NOT REMOVE THE LIGHT FROM THE PANEL. STUDENT HAD ACCOMPLISHED THE ENGINE RUNUP AND WAS BEGINNING THE TAKE OFF RUN. CFI STATED THAT SHE ASSUMED IT WAS AN INDICATION PROBLEM AS THE NOSE GEAR HELD DURING THE TAXI AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL, THE CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN AND THE CFI DECIDED TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN FOR LANDING AS THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT HOLDING ALTITUDE. CFI SELECTED GEAR DOWN, AGAIN NO NOSE GEAR GREEN LIGHT BUT DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TROUBLE SHOOT AT THIS POINT. UPON TOUCHDOWN, NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.