20230714010219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-310 · Lumberton, NJ · July 14, 2023

Date: July 14, 2023 · 12:05 local
Place: Lumberton, NJ
Airport: Flying W Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N400S
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23LA301
Reported as: Piper PA-31-310
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,824 total542 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days

N400SRegistered now · Piper PA-31-310S/N 31-7712083 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-310 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Airman of a PA-31 Piper navajo departed Flying W Airport (N14) for piseco airport (K09). Due to a high cylinder head temperature gauge reading on the right engine, the airman elected to return to N14.

While on straight-in approach to land at N14, the airman stated that he partially completed the landing checklist and elected to leave the landing gear retracted to reduce additional undo stress to the right engine; however, the airman neglected to extend the landing gear before touch down. The airman's decision to leave the gear retracted resulted in a gear up landing. The aircraft landed on it's belly and skidded on the runway until it came to a complete stop.

The aircraft sustained minor damage to the forward belly, with additional damage to both propellers and flaps.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN OF A PA-31 PIPER NAVAJO DEPARTED FLYING W AIRPORT (N14) FOR PISECO AIRPORT (K09). DUE TO A HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING ON THE RIGHT ENGINE, THE AIRMAN ELECTED TO RETURN TO N14.

WHILE ON STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO LAND AT N14, THE AIRMAN STATED THAT HE PARTIALLY COMPLETED THE LANDING CHECKLIST AND ELECTED TO LEAVE THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED TO REDUCE ADDITIONAL UNDO STRESS TO THE RIGHT ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE AIRMAN NEGLECTED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR BEFORE TOUCH DOWN. THE AIRMAN'S DECISION TO LEAVE THE GEAR RETRACTED RESULTED IN A GEAR UP LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON IT'S BELLY AND SKIDDED ON THE RUNWAY UNTIL IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP.

THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD BELLY, WITH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO BOTH PROPELLERS AND FLAPS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA23LA301Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportLumberton, NJThe pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before landing.Jul 14, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N400S · 1

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

Incident 20030921031059ILevel Off Touchdown · Toms River, NJ(-23) Upon entering downwind on approach to runway 6 at mjx, pilot failed to extend landing gear; did not notice until touchdown that gear was up.Sep 21, 2003 · Minor damage