What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 5/15/2021 at approximately 1325 local time, Mooney M-20-C, registration number N2948L, piloted byprivacy data omitted, sustained minor damage due to the aircraft landing without the gear fully locked in the down position on runway 21 at the Foothills Regional Airport (mrn). Weather conditions were VFR and the flight was conducted under part 91. PIC was current and qualified and the aircraft was within its annual inspection period.
A witness, holding short for takeoff on runway 21, stated that he saw the aircraft cross in front of him with the gear in the down position. The PIC stated the gear collapsed after landing upon deceleration to taxi off runway 21. With the aircraft on jacks, video evidence indicates the landing gear is unable to be properly locked into the bracket, part number 560050, due to it being worn beyond limits and that the landing gear system was out of rigging specifications as inspected by the aircraft mechanic. This, in combination with the gear being out of rig and the pilots failure to ensure proper working order of the safety latch button as described in the flight manual, lead to the unintended retraction of the gear upon landing.
Mooney issued a service instruction dated 12/12/2013 on the importance of properly maintaining the landing gear system at the annual inspection.
Related records: EA68202102559, EA68202102552, EA68202102767
As the FAA filed it
ON 5/15/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1325 LOCAL TIME, MOONEY M-20-C, REGISTRATION NUMBER N2948L, PILOTED BY^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT LANDING WITHOUT THE GEAR FULLY LOCKED IN THE DOWN POSITION ON RUNWAY 21 AT THE FOOTHILLS REGIONAL AIRPORT (MRN). WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VFR AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER PART 91. PIC WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION PERIOD.
A WITNESS, HOLDING SHORT FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 21, STATED THAT HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT CROSS IN FRONT OF HIM WITH THE GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PIC STATED THE GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER LANDING UPON DECELERATION TO TAXI OFF RUNWAY 21. WITH THE AIRCRAFT ON JACKS, VIDEO EVIDENCE INDICATES THE LANDING GEAR IS UNABLE TO BE PROPERLY LOCKED INTO THE BRACKET, PART NUMBER 560050, DUE TO IT BEING WORN BEYOND LIMITS AND THAT THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WAS OUT OF RIGGING SPECIFICATIONS AS INSPECTED BY THE AIRCRAFT MECHANIC. THIS, IN COMBINATION WITH THE GEAR BEING OUT OF RIG AND THE PILOTS FAILURE TO ENSURE PROPER WORKING ORDER OF THE SAFETY LATCH BUTTON AS DESCRIBED IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL, LEAD TO THE UNINTENDED RETRACTION OF THE GEAR UPON LANDING.
MOONEY ISSUED A SERVICE INSTRUCTION DATED 12/12/2013 ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPERLY MAINTAINING THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM AT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION.
RELATED RECORDS: EA68202102559, EA68202102552, EA68202102767
Other reports on N2948L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.