# Incident 20211022017619I: Piper PA-44-180, Gaithersburg, MD, October 22, 2021 - Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 22, 2021, 12:40 local time - Place: Gaithersburg, MD - Airport: Montgomery Coutny Airpark - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141) - Location: 39.1486° N, 77.1951° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Gaithersburg, MD, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1486&lon=-77.1951&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: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,466 total, 164 in this make and model, 165 in the last 90 days - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211022017619I ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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 EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR AT MIDFIELD AND NOTED 3 GREEN LIGHTS AND ONE MAIN VISIBLE IN THE MIRROR. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE REMAINDER OF THE LANDING WAS NORMAL, LANDING ON THE MAINS FIRST, THEN THE NOSE. HE ALSO STATED THAT UPON LOWERING THE NOSE WHEEL, THERE WAS NO "RESISTANCE" AND THE NOSE CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE CFI THEN TOOK CONTROL TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT AN ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE TO THE NOSE GEAR DOWNLOCK SWITCH DUE TO A GEAR UNSAFE INDICATION EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT NO DAMAGE TO THE DOWNLOCK WAS REPORTED OR NOTED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE NOSE LAND GEAR IT APPEARED THAT THE DOWN LOCK WAS BROKEN DUE TO A SHOCK LOAD FROM A HARD IMPACT. A WITNESS STATED THE HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT LAND AND IT APPEARED THAT IT MAY HAVE STALLED A FEW FEET ABOVE THE GROUND DURING FLARE AND LANDED HARD ON THE MAIN GEAR, WHICH THEN FORCED THE NOSE GEAR TO HAVE A HARD IMAPCT WITH THE GROUND BREAKING THE NOSE GEAR DOWN LOCK. ## Other reports on N3020M (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20170608006929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170608006929A), Jun 8, 2017: Piper PA-44-180 (N3020M), Gaithersburg, MD, Substantial damage. 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… - [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.