What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was returning from day trip to sandpoint, ID. Lined up for landing to runway 25 at Troutdale from the east. Weather/winds not a factor, clear, mostly calm day. He did mention there was a slight crosswind. The event occurred at about 18:30 local time on 8/4/2022.
Approach was normal, lined up, about 70KNOTS, reached down, unlocked johnson bar from locked gear up position, and raised it to the locked gear down position. He stated he gave it a little wiggle to ensure it latched. Verified gear down light.
Tower cleared him to land, he slowed the aircraft to about 40KNTS, got stall warning just prior to touchdown, on touchdown heard noise, then props stopped, aircraft slid to a stop. He realized what had happened a soon as props stopped, when aircraft stopped sliding he checked for fire, and exited aircraft.
After the incident, he looked back inside at the johnson bar handle, it was not locked in the gear down position, but had come unlocked, and was laying on back down on the floor. It was not locked in the gear up bracket.
On about 7/6/2022 the aircraft landing gear was worked on for stiffness in the handle during the last portion of the gear down range of movement. Maintenance opened up the belly panel, and inspected the linkage, and cleaned and lubed the linkage. They completed gear swings, and no stiffness was noted. Some control yoke work was also completed on 7/22/22, during a planned airport closure for construction.
The local check flight on the morning of the event was to ensure there were no problems, prior to him departing the local area. The aircraft had not been flown after the work had been completed, so that was why he completed a local check flight that morning. No problems were found during the local flight.
It is felt that there is a mechanical defect in the locking mechanism for the johnson bar landing gear selector. Maintenance has agreed to provide a detailed inspection summary report when they inspect the aircraft again.
8/24 - Maintenance has duplicated the handle popping out of the locking mechanism they are working on repairs at this time.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM DAY TRIP TO SANDPOINT, ID. LINED UP FOR LANDING TO RUNWAY 25 AT TROUTDALE FROM THE EAST. WEATHER/WINDS NOT A FACTOR, CLEAR, MOSTLY CALM DAY. HE DID MENTION THERE WAS A SLIGHT CROSSWIND. THE EVENT OCCURRED AT ABOUT 18:30 LOCAL TIME ON 8/4/2022.
APPROACH WAS NORMAL, LINED UP, ABOUT 70KNOTS, REACHED DOWN, UNLOCKED JOHNSON BAR FROM LOCKED GEAR UP POSITION, AND RAISED IT TO THE LOCKED GEAR DOWN POSITION. HE STATED HE GAVE IT A LITTLE WIGGLE TO ENSURE IT LATCHED. VERIFIED GEAR DOWN LIGHT.
TOWER CLEARED HIM TO LAND, HE SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO ABOUT 40KNTS, GOT STALL WARNING JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, ON TOUCHDOWN HEARD NOISE, THEN PROPS STOPPED, AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP. HE REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED A SOON AS PROPS STOPPED, WHEN AIRCRAFT STOPPED SLIDING HE CHECKED FOR FIRE, AND EXITED AIRCRAFT.
AFTER THE INCIDENT, HE LOOKED BACK INSIDE AT THE JOHNSON BAR HANDLE, IT WAS NOT LOCKED IN THE GEAR DOWN POSITION, BUT HAD COME UNLOCKED, AND WAS LAYING ON BACK DOWN ON THE FLOOR. IT WAS NOT LOCKED IN THE GEAR UP BRACKET.
ON ABOUT 7/6/2022 THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR WAS WORKED ON FOR STIFFNESS IN THE HANDLE DURING THE LAST PORTION OF THE GEAR DOWN RANGE OF MOVEMENT. MAINTENANCE OPENED UP THE BELLY PANEL, AND INSPECTED THE LINKAGE, AND CLEANED AND LUBED THE LINKAGE. THEY COMPLETED GEAR SWINGS, AND NO STIFFNESS WAS NOTED. SOME CONTROL YOKE WORK WAS ALSO COMPLETED ON 7/22/22, DURING A PLANNED AIRPORT CLOSURE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
THE LOCAL CHECK FLIGHT ON THE MORNING OF THE EVENT WAS TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS, PRIOR TO HIM DEPARTING THE LOCAL AREA. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN AFTER THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED, SO THAT WAS WHY HE COMPLETED A LOCAL CHECK FLIGHT THAT MORNING. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND DURING THE LOCAL FLIGHT.
IT IS FELT THAT THERE IS A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THE LOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE JOHNSON BAR LANDING GEAR SELECTOR. MAINTENANCE HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE A DETAILED INSPECTION SUMMARY REPORT WHEN THEY INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN.
8/24 - MAINTENANCE HAS DUPLICATED THE HANDLE POPPING OUT OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM THEY ARE WORKING ON REPAIRS AT THIS TIME.