20150213001699I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Saint Petersbur, FL · February 13, 2015

Date: February 13, 2015 · 18:45 local
Place: Saint Petersbur, FL
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N828DA
Reported as: Piper PA-23-250
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,000 total75 in this make and model55 in the last 90 days

N828DARegistration cancelled Jun 1, 2018 · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-7754146 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Pilot reported gear indicator light for nose gear not working.

Executed low approach on rwy 36 at pie and tower advised that nose gear was down but slightly cocked.

Pilot attempted to use emergency gear extend system with no help.

Pilot went around and landed, nose gear collapsed on touchdown.

Investigation revealed that left main gear actuator upper seal had failed allowing all hydraulic fluid to drain overboard.

Damage was limited to nose cone, nose gear doors, and props.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTED GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT FOR NOSE GEAR NOT WORKING.

EXECUTED LOW APPROACH ON RWY 36 AT PIE AND TOWER ADVISED THAT NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN BUT SLIGHTLY COCKED.

PILOT ATTEMPTED TO USE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTEND SYSTEM WITH NO HELP.

PILOT WENT AROUND AND LANDED, NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN.

INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT LEFT MAIN GEAR ACTUATOR UPPER SEAL HAD FAILED ALLOWING ALL HYDRAULIC FLUID TO DRAIN OVERBOARD.

DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO NOSE CONE, NOSE GEAR DOORS, AND PROPS.

Other reports on N828DA · 1

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

Incident 19940919036329ILevel Off Touchdown · Waynesboro, VADistracted by traffic. Landed gear up.Sep 19, 1994