What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 29, 2016, 1920 local time, N7727P, a Piper PA-24-250 registered to triple j flying service was conducting IFR training flight. The aircraft departed dumas airport (0M0) approximately 1700 hours enroute to mcgehee airport (7M1) for training, then departing mcgehee airport approximately 1730 for further training. During the training session, changes from cruise to approach and back to cruise had the airman cycling the gear several times. The last change from approach to cruise, the airman noticed the aircraft was not gaining speed and the gear up indication light was not illuminated. The gear extension handle was stopped mid travel so the airman tried putting the gear down and nothing changed. The airman then checked the circuit breaker for the gear and it had tripped. The circuit breaker kept tripping each attempt to lower the main landing gear. The airman commanded the aircraft a safer higher altitude and using the checklist attempted a manual gear extension. The extension handle would go about ¾ of travel and bind up. After several attempts, the airman relinquished control of the aircraft to the CFI, moving to the back seat and tried pushing the extension handle with his legs. In this process the extension handle was bent 90 degrees damaging it beyond use. The airman regaining the controls proceeded to dumas airport (0M0) making a low pass. His mechanic on the ground confirmed the gear in a half down position. With the handle damaged the airman and CFI made the decision to land the aircraft gear up. Pine Bluff Grider Field (pbf) was the chosen landing site since the CFI requested medical and fire staff be available. At 1920 hours, a landing was made with gear partially extended without injury and only minor damage to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 29, 2016, 1920 LOCAL TIME, N7727P, A PIPER PA-24-250 REGISTERED TO TRIPLE J FLYING SERVICE WAS CONDUCTING IFR TRAINING FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED DUMAS AIRPORT (0M0) APPROXIMATELY 1700 HOURS ENROUTE TO MCGEHEE AIRPORT (7M1) FOR TRAINING, THEN DEPARTING MCGEHEE AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 1730 FOR FURTHER TRAINING. DURING THE TRAINING SESSION, CHANGES FROM CRUISE TO APPROACH AND BACK TO CRUISE HAD THE AIRMAN CYCLING THE GEAR SEVERAL TIMES. THE LAST CHANGE FROM APPROACH TO CRUISE, THE AIRMAN NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT GAINING SPEED AND THE GEAR UP INDICATION LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. THE GEAR EXTENSION HANDLE WAS STOPPED MID TRAVEL SO THE AIRMAN TRIED PUTTING THE GEAR DOWN AND NOTHING CHANGED. THE AIRMAN THEN CHECKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE GEAR AND IT HAD TRIPPED. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER KEPT TRIPPING EACH ATTEMPT TO LOWER THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRMAN COMMANDED THE AIRCRAFT A SAFER HIGHER ALTITUDE AND USING THE CHECKLIST ATTEMPTED A MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION. THE EXTENSION HANDLE WOULD GO ABOUT ¾ OF TRAVEL AND BIND UP. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE AIRMAN RELINQUISHED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO THE CFI, MOVING TO THE BACK SEAT AND TRIED PUSHING THE EXTENSION HANDLE WITH HIS LEGS. IN THIS PROCESS THE EXTENSION HANDLE WAS BENT 90 DEGREES DAMAGING IT BEYOND USE. THE AIRMAN REGAINING THE CONTROLS PROCEEDED TO DUMAS AIRPORT (0M0) MAKING A LOW PASS. HIS MECHANIC ON THE GROUND CONFIRMED THE GEAR IN A HALF DOWN POSITION. WITH THE HANDLE DAMAGED THE AIRMAN AND CFI MADE THE DECISION TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT GEAR UP. PINE BLUFF GRIDER FIELD (PBF) WAS THE CHOSEN LANDING SITE SINCE THE CFI REQUESTED MEDICAL AND FIRE STAFF BE AVAILABLE. AT 1920 HOURS, A LANDING WAS MADE WITH GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED WITHOUT INJURY AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.