20110826022069A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-44-180 · Gaithersburg, MD · August 26, 2011

Date: August 26, 2011 · 07:00 local
Place: Gaithersburg, MD
Airport: Montgomery County Airpark
Phase of flight: Taxi
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3020M
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA11CA486
Reported as: Piper PA-44-180
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 570 total80 in the last 90 days

N3020MRegistered now · Piper PA-44-180S/N 44-7995220 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-44-180 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

This accident was not reported to this FSDO office. During an inspection of this flight school maintenance facility, this aircraft was discovered in the rear of the hangar with a damaged right wing. The right engine was gone from the right wing. As I started asking questions I found out what had happened. Pilot and instructor where taxiing to active runway. Both where inattentive while taxiing and the aircraft proceeded to leave the taxiway to the right and go down an embankment. The aircraft started to slide sideways and the right gear link broke and the right gear collapsed. The right wing main spar was bent. The right prop struck the ground and was damaged.

As the FAA filed it

THIS ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED TO THIS FSDO OFFICE. DURING AN INSPECTION OF THIS FLIGHT SCHOOL MAINTENANCE FACILITY, THIS AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED IN THE REAR OF THE HANGAR WITH A DAMAGED RIGHT WING. THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS GONE FROM THE RIGHT WING. AS I STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS I FOUND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR WHERE TAXIING TO ACTIVE RUNWAY. BOTH WHERE INATTENTIVE WHILE TAXIING AND THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE TAXIWAY TO THE RIGHT AND GO DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS AND THE RIGHT GEAR LINK BROKE AND THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. THE RIGHT WING MAIN SPAR WAS BENT. THE RIGHT PROP STRUCK THE GROUND AND WAS DAMAGED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA11CA486Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportGaithersburg, MDThe pilot's decision to continue taxiing with restricted windshield visibility.Aug 26, 2011 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3020M · 3

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

Incident 20211022017619ILanding: Touchdown · Gaithersburg, MDDuring a multiengine training flight, the student, who is a rated asel commercial pilot, reported a normal traffic pattern at approach. The pilot stated the he extended the landing gear at midfield and noted 3 green lights and one main visible in the mirror.…Oct 22, 2021 · Minor damage Accident 20170608006929ALanding: Rollout · Gaithersburg, MDDuring landing roll on training flight the pilot in command noticed an aburpt change in the landing gear. At first he thought it was a blown tire and reported it immediately to potomac TRACON as such. Once the plane came to a stop the PIC assessed the…Jun 8, 2017 · Substantial damage Incident 19930724032069ILevel Off Touchdown · San Diego, CALanded with right main gear retracted. Found upper main landing gear door retract rod end bolt installed incorrectlyJul 24, 1993 · Minor damage