# Incident 20141023019579I: North American F-51D, Mesa, AZ, October 23, 2014

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 23, 2014, 12:15 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Williams Gateway
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.3078° N, 111.6553° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3078&lon=-111.6553&mi=10
- Aircraft: N351BD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN F-51D
- Reported engine: PKRD-ROLL V1650 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR15IA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15IA035) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141023019579I

## Narrative

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

(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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR15IA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15IA035), Oct 23, 2014: North American P51 - D (N351BD), Mesa, AZ, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: The failure of the left main landing gear to extend, which resulted in a gear-up landing. The reason for the left main landing gear’s failure to operate normally could not be determined because…

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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