# Incident 20130607011999I: Piper PA-34-200T, Phoenix, AZ, June 7, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 7, 2013, 07:10 local time
- Place: Phoenix, AZ
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4484° N, 112.0740° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Phoenix, AZ, within about 13 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4484&lon=-112.0740&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8385C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8385C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200T (registry code 7103406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200T
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130607011999I

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT BEFORE PLACING THE AIRCRAFT ON LEASE BACK HE WANTED TO ENSURE THE PROPELLER FEATHERING SYSTEM FUNCTIONED IN FLIGHT.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW TO A REMOTE PRACTICE AREA AND AT 8,500 FEET, SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AND FEATHERED THE PROPELLER.  WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE STARTER TO RE-START THE ENGINE AND UN-FEATHER THE PROPELLER THE STARTER WOULD NOT SPIN THE ENGINE FAST ENOUGH TO START.  ABOUT THIS TIME HE NOTICED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR WAS RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY.  HE CALLED DEER VALLEY ATC AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RECEIVED VECTORS FOR A VFR APPROACH.  DURING THE FINAL STAGES OF THE FLIGHT ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST.  THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED MANUALLY.  THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL.

POST FLIGHT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE POSITIVE POST OF THE BATTERY HAD COMPLETELY MELTED THROUGH.  ADDITIONALLY THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS LANDING GEAR OPERATION HAD FAILED IN THE CLOSED POSITION WHICH CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR TO RUN CONTINUOUSLY.  THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS THE FAILED LANDING SWITCH CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR TO RUN CONTINUOUSLY AND WHEN THE STARTER WAS ENGAGED THE EXCESS CURRENT DRAW CAUSED THE POSITIVE BATTERY POST TO MELT WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER.

THE BATTERY AND LANDING GEAR CONTROL SWITCH WERE REPLACED BY AN A&P MECHANIC.  A TEST FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AND EACH ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN, FEATHERED AND RE-STARTED IN TURN.  NO FURTHER MALFUNCTIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED.

## Other reports on N8385C (1)

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

- [Accident 19780227003249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780227003249A), Feb 27, 1978: Piper PA34200 (N8385C), Malden, MO, Substantial damage. Block of ice 4X3X2 ft in center of rwy.

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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