What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(Pilot statement)
"I departed P19 (stellar) at approx 1115 hrs to conduct a photo shoot with TV3 in support of the copperstate fly in. After normal start, taxi, runup and takeoff, on gear retraction I smelled either burning rubber or smoke smell. I checked my gear lights and they were all inop. I attempted to deploy the landing gear and asked TV3 for a visual check. He reported right main and tail extended but left gear not and door not fully opened. For 45 minutes I attempted normal/emergency procedures. Called two resources for advice but no procedure would deploy the gear. I burned off most fuel and conducted an emergency gear up landing at Gateway 30R. Aircraft landed smoothly and slid to a stop. I exited, no leaks, no strucural damage, no fire, troubleshooting problem currently."
Aircraft recovery team contacted to remove aircraft from the runway. Mechanic hired to repair aircraft stated it appeared as if the left strut had lost its air charge. As such a vacuum was created that prevented the shock strut from extending once the aircraft was airborne. Since the strut was not extended the spinning tire contacted the airframe and subsequently became jammed in place. The mechanic will disassemble the left strut to determine if a mechanical problem caused the jam and will file a service difficulty report if that is found to be the case.
As the FAA filed it
(PILOT STATEMENT)
"I DEPARTED P19 (STELLAR) AT APPROX 1115 HRS TO CONDUCT A PHOTO SHOOT WITH TV3 IN SUPPORT OF THE COPPERSTATE FLY IN. AFTER NORMAL START, TAXI, RUNUP AND TAKEOFF, ON GEAR RETRACTION I SMELLED EITHER BURNING RUBBER OR SMOKE SMELL. I CHECKED MY GEAR LIGHTS AND THEY WERE ALL INOP. I ATTEMPTED TO DEPLOY THE LANDING GEAR AND ASKED TV3 FOR A VISUAL CHECK. HE REPORTED RIGHT MAIN AND TAIL EXTENDED BUT LEFT GEAR NOT AND DOOR NOT FULLY OPENED. FOR 45 MINUTES I ATTEMPTED NORMAL/EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. CALLED TWO RESOURCES FOR ADVICE BUT NO PROCEDURE WOULD DEPLOY THE GEAR. I BURNED OFF MOST FUEL AND CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY GEAR UP LANDING AT GATEWAY 30R. AIRCRAFT LANDED SMOOTHLY AND SLID TO A STOP. I EXITED, NO LEAKS, NO STRUCURAL DAMAGE, NO FIRE, TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEM CURRENTLY."
AIRCRAFT RECOVERY TEAM CONTACTED TO REMOVE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RUNWAY. MECHANIC HIRED TO REPAIR AIRCRAFT STATED IT APPEARED AS IF THE LEFT STRUT HAD LOST ITS AIR CHARGE. AS SUCH A VACUUM WAS CREATED THAT PREVENTED THE SHOCK STRUT FROM EXTENDING ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE. SINCE THE STRUT WAS NOT EXTENDED THE SPINNING TIRE CONTACTED THE AIRFRAME AND SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME JAMMED IN PLACE. THE MECHANIC WILL DISASSEMBLE THE LEFT STRUT TO DETERMINE IF A MECHANICAL PROBLEM CAUSED THE JAM AND WILL FILE A SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORT IF THAT IS FOUND TO BE THE CASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.