What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Thursday, June 4, 2020, a Piper PA-30, registered as N8244Y, was on a VFR flight from rogue valley international - medford airport (kmfr) in medford, OR, destined for mcminnville municipal airport (kmmv) in mcminnville, OR.
After departure from kmfr, the pilot explained that he heard an unusual loud noise while the landing gear was in transit to the up position. He observed normal landing gear up lights in the cockpit. He could also see the nose gear was up and nose gear doors were closed in the external mirror. The pilot also reported that the indicated airspeed for climb and cruise appeared to be normal.
In the vicinity of kmmv, the pilot explained that he began to slow down and put the landing gear lever in the down position. He reported no green light indication from the landing gear and saw in the mirror that the nose gear doors were open but the nose landing gear was not down.
The pilot further explained that he climbed in altitude and began troubleshooting the landing gear. He reported that he tried resetting the circuit breaker and cycling the landing gear switch several times without success.
He circlied the airport and spoke to individuals on the ground who verified that his landing gear did not appear to be fully extended. He explained that he tried the emergency gear extension procedure without success.
The pilot then elected to fly to Mcnary Field Airport (ksle) in Salem, OR due to better emergency services. He stated when he arrived at ksle he flew by the control tower and the controller also confirmed that the landing gear was not fully extended. The pilot stated that he then elected to make a gear up landing on runway 34 at ksle.
As the FAA filed it
ON THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020, A PIPER PA-30, REGISTERED AS N8244Y, WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM ROGUE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL - MEDFORD AIRPORT (KMFR) IN MEDFORD, OR, DESTINED FOR MCMINNVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KMMV) IN MCMINNVILLE, OR.
AFTER DEPARTURE FROM KMFR, THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE HEARD AN UNUSUAL LOUD NOISE WHILE THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN TRANSIT TO THE UP POSITION. HE OBSERVED NORMAL LANDING GEAR UP LIGHTS IN THE COCKPIT. HE COULD ALSO SEE THE NOSE GEAR WAS UP AND NOSE GEAR DOORS WERE CLOSED IN THE EXTERNAL MIRROR. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE INDICATED AIRSPEED FOR CLIMB AND CRUISE APPEARED TO BE NORMAL.
IN THE VICINITY OF KMMV, THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND PUT THE LANDING GEAR LEVER IN THE DOWN POSITION. HE REPORTED NO GREEN LIGHT INDICATION FROM THE LANDING GEAR AND SAW IN THE MIRROR THAT THE NOSE GEAR DOORS WERE OPEN BUT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT DOWN.
THE PILOT FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT HE CLIMBED IN ALTITUDE AND BEGAN TROUBLESHOOTING THE LANDING GEAR. HE REPORTED THAT HE TRIED RESETTING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND CYCLING THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS.
HE CIRCLIED THE AIRPORT AND SPOKE TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE GROUND WHO VERIFIED THAT HIS LANDING GEAR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE FULLY EXTENDED. HE EXPLAINED THAT HE TRIED THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE WITHOUT SUCCESS.
THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO FLY TO MCNARY FIELD AIRPORT (KSLE) IN SALEM, OR DUE TO BETTER EMERGENCY SERVICES. HE STATED WHEN HE ARRIVED AT KSLE HE FLEW BY THE CONTROL TOWER AND THE CONTROLLER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT FULLY EXTENDED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN ELECTED TO MAKE A GEAR UP LANDING ON RUNWAY 34 AT KSLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8244Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.