What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 02/06/2015 a PA-24-250 (N6086P) departed cpr enroute to arv. The pilot advised experiencing electrical problems and diverted into rap. At 0211Z the aircraft landed gear up with minor damage to the aircraft. No injuries to pilot or his passenger.
The following information was provided by the PIC after the incident:
"At 15NM out the PIC asked the non-flying pilot (nfp) to follow the checklist for emergency gear extension. The nfp followed the checklist the PIC slowed to 100MPH to begin manual gear extension procedure. The PIC stated the aircraft did appear and feel as though the gear came down but with no electrical or visual contact of the gear he had no way of knowing if it was completely down and locked. The landing lever on floor was forward as it should be if gear is down. The PIC took the precaution the landing gear may not hold. On final he slowed to 80 mph with full flap and unlatched his door. When the aircraft touched down the PIC thought they landed with gear down, but in an instant the gear collapsed.
The following information was provided in a statement from the nfp:
" As we entered charlie airspace we both remained heads-up and alert for potential traffic. As we proceeded on downwind, unexpectedly the panel began showing some illumination. Gear lights were not visible. privacy data omitted Attempted to cycle electrical landing gear system. The worm gear rotated and appeared to fall out of rear of the transmission. The gear handle moved forward into position for gear down but felt no indication it was over-centered or otherwise locked down. Touch down was consistent with gear being down but gear quickly collapsed. We stopped after a short skid and evacuated the aircraft" .
Further review of the procedures for emergency gear extension found the electrical landing gear motor is not to be re-engaged in flight per the AFM and is clearly placarded on the landing gear motor release cover "do not re-engage motor in flight". It appears the failure to follow procedures may have contributed to the collapse of the landing gear on touch down.
Further investigation has been assigned to an operations inspector.
As the FAA filed it
ON 02/06/2015 A PA-24-250 (N6086P) DEPARTED CPR ENROUTE TO ARV. THE PILOT ADVISED EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND DIVERTED INTO RAP. AT 0211Z THE AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR HIS PASSENGER.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY THE PIC AFTER THE INCIDENT:
"AT 15NM OUT THE PIC ASKED THE NON-FLYING PILOT (NFP) TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST FOR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION. THE NFP FOLLOWED THE CHECKLIST THE PIC SLOWED TO 100MPH TO BEGIN MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE. THE PIC STATED THE AIRCRAFT DID APPEAR AND FEEL AS THOUGH THE GEAR CAME DOWN BUT WITH NO ELECTRICAL OR VISUAL CONTACT OF THE GEAR HE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING IF IT WAS COMPLETELY DOWN AND LOCKED. THE LANDING LEVER ON FLOOR WAS FORWARD AS IT SHOULD BE IF GEAR IS DOWN. THE PIC TOOK THE PRECAUTION THE LANDING GEAR MAY NOT HOLD. ON FINAL HE SLOWED TO 80 MPH WITH FULL FLAP AND UNLATCHED HIS DOOR. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THE PIC THOUGHT THEY LANDED WITH GEAR DOWN, BUT IN AN INSTANT THE GEAR COLLAPSED.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED IN A STATEMENT FROM THE NFP:
" AS WE ENTERED CHARLIE AIRSPACE WE BOTH REMAINED HEADS-UP AND ALERT FOR POTENTIAL TRAFFIC. AS WE PROCEEDED ON DOWNWIND, UNEXPECTEDLY THE PANEL BEGAN SHOWING SOME ILLUMINATION. GEAR LIGHTS WERE NOT VISIBLE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO CYCLE ELECTRICAL LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. THE WORM GEAR ROTATED AND APPEARED TO FALL OUT OF REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE GEAR HANDLE MOVED FORWARD INTO POSITION FOR GEAR DOWN BUT FELT NO INDICATION IT WAS OVER-CENTERED OR OTHERWISE LOCKED DOWN. TOUCH DOWN WAS CONSISTENT WITH GEAR BEING DOWN BUT GEAR QUICKLY COLLAPSED. WE STOPPED AFTER A SHORT SKID AND EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT" .
FURTHER REVIEW OF THE PROCEDURES FOR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION FOUND THE ELECTRICAL LANDING GEAR MOTOR IS NOT TO BE RE-ENGAGED IN FLIGHT PER THE AFM AND IS CLEARLY PLACARDED ON THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR RELEASE COVER "DO NOT RE-ENGAGE MOTOR IN FLIGHT". IT APPEARS THE FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR ON TOUCH DOWN.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO AN OPERATIONS INSPECTOR.
Other reports on N6086P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.