20140728013469I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28R-180 · Fond Du Lac, WI · July 28, 2014

Date: July 28, 2014 · 08:58 local
Place: Fond Du Lac, WI
Airport: Fond Du Lac County
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N7578J
Reported as: Piper PA-28R-180
Reported engine: Lycoming I0-360-B1E
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,300 total200 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N7578JRegistered now · Piper PA-28R-180S/N 28R-30967 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-180 Engine modelLycoming I0-360-B1EReciprocating

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.

7/28/2014 At 1358Z (0858 CT), fld ATCT reported N7578J, PA-28R-180, experienced a gear collapse on touchdown.

Pilot states - at 3-mile final, put gear handle in down pos. Failed to get green lights. Made sure panel lights were off. Tried to cycle gear. At 1/2 mile final informed tower might have a gear problem. Tower said make low pass. Tower indicate gear appears down. Pilot asked if he was still clear to land, and tower indicated clear to land on 36. At touchdown tower said go around but it was too late and gear collapsed.

8/20/14 - With aircraft on jacks, observed a couple gear retractions / extentions of N7578J at FBO. Three green lights were observed each time as system is designed. Could not duplicate situation where gear would not retract or extend properly.

As the FAA filed it

7/28/2014 AT 1358Z (0858 CT), FLD ATCT REPORTED N7578J, PA-28R-180, EXPERIENCED A GEAR COLLAPSE ON TOUCHDOWN.

PILOT STATES - AT 3-MILE FINAL, PUT GEAR HANDLE IN DOWN POS. FAILED TO GET GREEN LIGHTS. MADE SURE PANEL LIGHTS WERE OFF. TRIED TO CYCLE GEAR. AT 1/2 MILE FINAL INFORMED TOWER MIGHT HAVE A GEAR PROBLEM. TOWER SAID MAKE LOW PASS. TOWER INDICATE GEAR APPEARS DOWN. PILOT ASKED IF HE WAS STILL CLEAR TO LAND, AND TOWER INDICATED CLEAR TO LAND ON 36. AT TOUCHDOWN TOWER SAID GO AROUND BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND GEAR COLLAPSED.

8/20/14 - WITH AIRCRAFT ON JACKS, OBSERVED A COUPLE GEAR RETRACTIONS / EXTENTIONS OF N7578J AT FBO. THREE GREEN LIGHTS WERE OBSERVED EACH TIME AS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED. COULD NOT DUPLICATE SITUATION WHERE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT OR EXTEND PROPERLY.