20120126001409I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Suffolk, VA · January 26, 2012

Date: January 26, 2012 · 09:50 local
Place: Suffolk, VA
Airport: Suffolk Executive
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N111SM
Reported as: Piper PA-34-200T
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total5,500 in this make and model105 in the last 90 days

N111SMRegistered now · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-7770333 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200T Engine modelContinental TSIO-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.

When pilot started the approach, he found that the nose gear would not deploy, the pilot then left the pattern and tried to re cycle the gear. The mains deployed but not the nose gear. He recycled the gear up then pulled the hydraulic pump circuit breaker and the emergency gear release. The mains deployed but not the nose gear. Pilot then elected to return to airport and he tried to deploy the gear several times. The mains would deploy but not the nose. When pilot was cleared to make the approach, three attempts were made to get the gear down. The mains deployed but not the nose gear. The landing on the grass was normal till the right main wheel hit a depression causing the right prop to dig in and brake off. While he still maintained directional control and used the right brake to stop the aircraft from crossing the turn off ramp.

As the FAA filed it

WHEN PILOT STARTED THE APPROACH, HE FOUND THAT THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT DEPLOY, THE PILOT THEN LEFT THE PATTERN AND TRIED TO RE CYCLE THE GEAR. THE MAINS DEPLOYED BUT NOT THE NOSE GEAR. HE RECYCLED THE GEAR UP THEN PULLED THE HYDRAULIC PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THE EMERGENCY GEAR RELEASE. THE MAINS DEPLOYED BUT NOT THE NOSE GEAR. PILOT THEN ELECTED TO RETURN TO AIRPORT AND HE TRIED TO DEPLOY THE GEAR SEVERAL TIMES. THE MAINS WOULD DEPLOY BUT NOT THE NOSE. WHEN PILOT WAS CLEARED TO MAKE THE APPROACH, THREE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO GET THE GEAR DOWN. THE MAINS DEPLOYED BUT NOT THE NOSE GEAR. THE LANDING ON THE GRASS WAS NORMAL TILL THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL HIT A DEPRESSION CAUSING THE RIGHT PROP TO DIG IN AND BRAKE OFF. WHILE HE STILL MAINTAINED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND USED THE RIGHT BRAKE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT FROM CROSSING THE TURN OFF RAMP.

Other reports on N111SM · 2

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

Incident 20160202001829ILanding: Touchdown · Suffolk, VAOn final, pilot at the controls did not put landing down. Other pilot that was acting as PIC performing other tasks at time. A/c settled down to runway, pilot at the controls heard propellor blades striking runway and moved off to side of runway and settled…Feb 2, 2016 · Minor damage Incident 20100510037289ILanding: Touchdown · Portsmouth, VAPilot became distracted due to the new avionics installed in the aircraft and forgot to lower the landing gear prior to touchdown. The aircraft landed gear up.May 10, 2010 · Minor damage