# Accident 20200921016169A: Cessna 172RG, West Lafayette, IN, September 21, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 2020, 13:50 local time
- Place: West Lafayette, IN
- Airport: Purdue University Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4197° N, 86.8906° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4197&lon=-86.8906&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6330V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6330V) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172RG (registry code 2072438, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,415 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20CA416](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA416) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200921016169A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2020, APPROXIMATELY 1230 EST, N6330V, A CESSNA 172RG, DEPARTED PURDUE UNIVERSITY AIRPORT (LAF) UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, FOR INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT USE. THE PILOTS STATED THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED AND INDICATED NORMAL, BUT THEY COULD HEAR A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC MOTOR RUNNING ACCOMPANIED BY A PUNGENT ODOR. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) STATED HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND PERFORMED PROCEDURES IN THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK. THE CFI STATED HE PULLED AND RESET THE LANDING GEAR HYDRAULIC PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THE NOISE AND ODOR DISSIPATED. AN ATTEMPT TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AN ATTEMPT TO MANUALLY EXTEND THE GEAR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CFI COORDINATED A FLY-BY SO OBSERVERS COULD VERIFY LANDING GEAR POSITIONS. OBSERVERS REPORTED THE NOSE LANDGING GEAR APPEARED DOWN AND LOCKED WITH BOTH MAIN GEAR TRAILING. THE PILOTS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE CFI STATED HE CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING AT LAF RUNWAY 10. THE CFI STATED PRIOR TO LANDING, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FLARED, HE LEVELED THE PROP AND CUT THE ENGINE. UPON LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED INTO THE WHEEL WELL. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOTS DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN.

## 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 CEN20CA416](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA416), Sep 21, 2020: Cessna 172RG (N6330V), Lafayette, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation failure of a landing gear system hydraulic line and its compression fitting during cruise flight, which resulted in a partial gear up landing.

## Other reports on N6330V (3)

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

- [Incident 20191012014289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191012014289I), Oct 12, 2019: Cessna 172RG (N6330V), Lafayette, IN, No damage. On October 12, 2019 at approximately 1710 eastern daylight time, a Cessna C172, N6330V, departed from purdue university (laf). Approximately 20 minutes into…
- [Incident 20140517007319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140517007319I), May 17, 2014: Cessna 172RG (N6330V), West Lafayette, IN, Minor damage. On may 17, 2014, at approximately 10:36 EDT N6330V, a Cessna CE-172-RG received minor damage following an inadvertent gear retraction while performing takeoff…
- [Incident 19890527027569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890527027569I), May 27, 1989: Cessna 172RG (N6330V), Mesa, AZ. Pilot stated engine faltered on touch and go landing. Aborted. Ran off end of runway. Taxied back. No damage.

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.

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