# Accident 20170225001129A: Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD, Melbourne, FL, February 25, 2017 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 25, 2017, 11:10 local time - Place: Melbourne, FL - Airport: Melbourne International Airpor - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.1028° N, 80.6453° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1028&lon=-80.6453&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2519T, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2519T) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD (registry code 8680695, https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tb-20-trinidad) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SOCATA TB-20 TRINIDAD - Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA130) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170225001129A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED EYW (KEY WEST FL) UNDER IFR FLIGHT PLAN AT ABOUT 0925 EST ON 02/25/2017 WITH INTENDED DESTINATION OF DAB (DAYTONA BEACH, FL). THE PILOT SAID PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION AND PRE-DEPARTURE RUN-UP WERE NORMAL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL ABOUT ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT WHEN THE ALTERNATOR WARNING ANNUNCIATOR ILLUMINATED AND BATTERY VOLTAGE WAS READING 24 VOLTS INSTEAD OF NORMAL 28 VOLTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DAB PER HIS FLIGHT PLAN IN EVENT HE LOST USE OF COMUNICATIONS RADIO. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET DAB ATIS SINCE HE WAS MORE THAN 70 MILES FROM DAB, BUT PLANNED ON CONTINUING TO DAB PER HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN. SOON AFTER HIS FAILED ATTEMPT AT RECEIVING DAB ATIS HIS AVIONICS EQUIPMENT ?BLINKED? AND THEN WENT OUT, AT THIS TIME THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND AT HIS NEXT FIX WHICH WAS MLB AIRPORT (MELBOURNE, FL) WHERE HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 927L WITHOUT COMMUNICATIONS RADIO FUNCTIONING , HIS DECISION WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE WEATHER CONDITION AT DAB COULD NOT BE CONFIRMED AND THAT THE AIRPORT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BUSY DUE THE DAYTONA 500 RACE WHICH WAS TO OCCUR THAT WEEKEND. PILOT STATED HE STARTED A SLOW DESCENT FROM 7000 FEET TO 5000 FEET WHEN HE INITIATED EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURES. PILOT STATED HE COULD NOT GET THE LANDING GEAR TO EXTEND. THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS DESCENT TO 3500 FEET AND SLOWED TO 80 KNOTS AIRSPEED WHEN HE MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR USING EMERGENCY CHECKLIST PROCEDURES. THE PILOT STATED HE MADE HIS THIRD AND FINAL ATTEMPT TO EXTEND THE GEAR WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH AT AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET AND WITHIN 1 MILE OF THE AIRPORT; THE GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS APPROACH, SECURED THE AIRCRAFT (TURNING OFF FUEL, ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND "MAIN SWITCH"). PILOT ESTIMATED HE SKIDDED DOWN THE RUNWAY FOR ABOUT 700 FEET WHERE IT STOPPED ON CENTER LINE OF RUNWAY 27L. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS MET BY MLB FIRE RESCUE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AN AUTOMOTIVE TOW TRUCK CAME TO LIFT THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED THE LEFT MAIN CAME DOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN WAS EXTENDED WITH MINIMAL MANUAL ASSISTANCE AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS STUCK UP INTO THE WHEEL WELL, THE NOSE GEAR WAS MANUALLY EXTENDED ?WITH CONSIDERABLE WORK". ## 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 ERA17LA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA130), Feb 25, 2017: Socata TB20 (N2519T), Melbourne, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Improper installation of the circlip within the nose gear strut, which resulted in the strut overextending in the wheel well and preventing the nose landing gear from extending during landing. ## Other reports on N2519T (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20040224005239I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040224005239I), Feb 24, 2004: Socata TB20TRINIDAD (N2519T), Baltimore, MD. (-23) Pilot was preparing to land at bwi, when he contacted tower to report a problem with the landing gear. Pilot made a low pass by the tower to confirm all… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.