# Incident 20110716017829I: Piper PA-28-161, Atlantic City, NJ, July 16, 2011

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 16, 2011, 15:20 local time
- Place: Atlantic City, NJ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3773° N, 74.4511° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Atlantic City, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3773&lon=-74.4511&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4333A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4333A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 78 total, 78 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110716017829I

## Narrative

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

PILOT DEPARTED FROM HAMMONTON AIRPORT NJ, CLIMBED TO 2000FT AND CONTACTED ACY RADAR. PILOT STATED HE NOTICED A STRANGE MOTION IN THE PLANE. THEN HE HEARD  BANGING. HE NOTICED THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS DANGLING TO THE REAR OF THE LEFT WING AND HITTING THE FLAP. HE CONTACTED ATLANTIC CITY APPROACH CONTROL,  DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND PREPARED TO LAND AT ACY. DURING THE APPROACH THE BANGING STOPPED. HE MADE A NORMAL LANDING WITH THE LOWER HALF OF THE LEFT LANDING GEAR MISSING. THE LOWER HALF OF THE LANDING GEAR HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE DESCENT FROM 2000 FT AND APPROACH INTO ACY.  THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING, CONSISTING OF THE UPPER HALF OF THE LEFT GEAR STRUT, FLAP AND UNDERSIDE OF WING. THE UPPER HALF OF THE LANDING GEAR HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE FOR CLOSER MICROSCOPIC INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE LOWER HALF OF THE GEAR FAILING IN FLIGHT AND FALLING OFF THE AIRCRAFT. WHEN THE UPPER HALF OF THE LANDING GEAR IS PROVIDED TO THIS OFFICE BY EITHER THE OWNER OR INSURANCE COMPANY THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED, AS NECESSARY. ACCORDINGLY, BLOCKS 21A, 21B AND 42 CAN NOT BE DETERMINED AT THIS TIME.

## Other reports on N4333A (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19940718031059I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940718031059I), Jul 18, 1994: Piper PA28161 (N4333A), Kankakee, IL, Minor damage. After landing discovered no taxiway lights and landing light inop prior takeoff. Left taxiway. Struck a fence.

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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