# Accident 20170608006929A: Piper PA-44-180, Gaithersburg, MD, June 8, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 8, 2017, 21:50 local time
- Place: Gaithersburg, MD
- Airport: Montgomery County Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: 7WIS
- Location: 39.1683° N, 77.1661° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1683&lon=-77.1661&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3020M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3020M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-44-180 (registry code 7104402, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-44-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,360 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA204) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170608006929A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DURING LANDING ROLL ON TRAINING FLIGHT THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOTICED AN ABURPT CHANGE IN THE LANDING GEAR. AT FIRST HE THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOWN TIRE  AND REPORTED IT IMMEDIATELY TO POTOMAC TRACON AS SUCH. ONCE THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP THE PIC ASSESSED THE AIRCRAFT AND DETERMINED IT WAS A COLLAPSED LANDING GEAR. THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE/FLIGHT ACADEMY CALLED THE ROC AND UPDATED THEM OF THE SITUATION. AT 9:56 PM LOCAL TIME THE WEATHER REPORTED WAS 60 DEGREES F 69% HUMIDITY PRESSURE 29.93 10 MILES VISIBILITY WIND WAS 4.6 MPH ESE AND CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR.

## 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 ERA17LA204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA204), Jun 9, 2017: Piper PA 44-180 (N3020M), Gaithersburg, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the right main landing gear trunnion bracket due to an undetermined overstress event.

## Other reports on N3020M (3)

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

- [Incident 20211022017619I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211022017619I), Oct 22, 2021: Piper PA-44-180 (N3020M), Gaithersburg, MD, Minor damage. During a multiengine training flight, the student, who is a rated asel commercial pilot, reported a normal traffic pattern at approach. The pilot stated the he…
- [Accident 20110826022069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110826022069A), Aug 26, 2011: Piper PA-44-180 (N3020M), Gaithersburg, MD, Substantial damage. This accident was not reported to this FSDO office. During an inspection of this flight school maintenance facility, this aircraft was discovered in the rear…
- [Incident 19930724032069I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930724032069I), Jul 24, 1993: Piper PA44180 (N3020M), San Diego, CA, Minor damage. Landed with right main gear retracted. Found upper main landing gear door retract rod end bolt installed incorrectly

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.
