20170409006229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-201 · Pontiac, MI · April 9, 2017

Date: April 9, 2017 · 15:14 local
Place: Pontiac, MI
Airport: Oakland County International
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N36458
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN17LA150
Reported as: Piper PA-28R-201
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 400 total

N36458Registration cancelled Jan 15, 2019 · Piper PA-28R-201S/N 28R-7837279 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-201 Engine modelLycoming I0360 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 was practicing touch and go procedures, on the third attempted landing right main and nose landing gear collasped.

Investigation found landing gear control circuit breaker tripped causing all landing gear to stop in transition and all landing gear indication lamps and warnings to become inoperative.

Found unused instrument lamp socket touching exposed landing gear selector switch connections behind recently installed instrument panel causing a short circuit to ground and overloading landing gear control circuit breaker.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO PROCEDURES, ON THE THIRD ATTEMPTED LANDING RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLASPED.

INVESTIGATION FOUND LANDING GEAR CONTROL CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPPED CAUSING ALL LANDING GEAR TO STOP IN TRANSITION AND ALL LANDING GEAR INDICATION LAMPS AND WARNINGS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

FOUND UNUSED INSTRUMENT LAMP SOCKET TOUCHING EXPOSED LANDING GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH CONNECTIONS BEHIND RECENTLY INSTALLED INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT TO GROUND AND OVERLOADING LANDING GEAR CONTROL CIRCUIT BREAKER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN17LA150Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPontiac, MIMaintenance personnel’s improper securing of an unused instrument lamp socket during recent maintenance, which resulted in an electrical short of the landing gear controls and stopped the landing gear while it was transitioning to the down position and led to…Apr 9, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N36458 · 2

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

Incident 20161205022279ILanding: Touchdown · Pontiac, MIOn 5 December 2016 a CFI and student were conducting a training flight. On a practice simulated emergency landing approach, they extended the landing gear, the nose gear down light did not illuminate. They conducted the POH emergency procedures, and made a…Dec 5, 2016 · Minor damage Incident 19971110043459ILevel Off Touchdown · Burbank, CANarrative: private pilot watson was performing an IFR proficiency flight in N36458, a Piper pa 28-R201, on 11-10-97. At 1830 pilot felt "slight thump" in airframe and assumed a bird strike. Pilot selected gear down for landing at smo. But received no nosegear…Nov 10, 1997 · Minor damage