What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 23, 2023, at 1540 UTC, a Piper arrow P28R landed on rwy 26R, at Spirit of st. Louis airport (ksus), MO. The aircraft touched down on the left main and then the right main and nose collapsed resulting in the aircraft right wing contacting the ground and then striking a runway light and pivoting approximately 180 degrees. A pilot and 3 passengers were involved. No injuries were sustained or reported. The pilot was asked about the landing sequence and had described the phase of gear being placed down and flap settings in his statement. He acknowledged he had 3 green light indications after placing the gear handle down on downwind and final landing check on final.
After the incident the aircraft was lifted, and the gear locked in place. The aircraft was towed on the aircraft gear to the hangar and placed on jacks.
On September 26, 2023, FAA airworthiness ASI and operations ASI arrived at ksus and observed the gear function check. This was performed with the gear in the override position. The pilot stated in his statement that they always fly in the override position. He also stated they teach other pilots to do the same due to the drag caused by the gear automatically extending if airspeed is too low, power is reduced to low and to allow the gear to retract quicker after takeoff than the automated system allows.
Bulletins and letters were checked on the override system. The aircraft is in compliance with all required maintenance ADS, bulletins, and letters.
On October 12, 2023, at the Spirit of saint Louis airport (ksus) FAA airworthiness ASI and operations ASI discussed the G3X data which revealed a spike in amps after landing. The data shows the gear handle being placed in the down position and an additional spike in amps shows the motor being reactivated on landing. The team visited the hangar again and discussed the findings with the pilot and mechanics. An email was received from the mechanic indicating the gear handle in the up position activates the hydraulic motor and causes the spike. The gear handle being in the up position is the only explanation of the spike. The pilot was asked if he could have placed the gear handle up after touching down instead of the flaps. He does not remember for sure. He is adamant that he had the gear down for landing.
Additional information was requested of the previous flight and the spike in amps is not present after landing. No pictures are available of the cockpit gear handle position after the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2023, AT 1540 UTC, A PIPER ARROW P28R LANDED ON RWY 26R, AT SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS AIRPORT (KSUS), MO. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN AND THEN THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE COLLAPSED RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING CONTACTING THE GROUND AND THEN STRIKING A RUNWAY LIGHT AND PIVOTING APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES. A PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS WERE INVOLVED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED OR REPORTED. THE PILOT WAS ASKED ABOUT THE LANDING SEQUENCE AND HAD DESCRIBED THE PHASE OF GEAR BEING PLACED DOWN AND FLAP SETTINGS IN HIS STATEMENT. HE ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD 3 GREEN LIGHT INDICATIONS AFTER PLACING THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN ON DOWNWIND AND FINAL LANDING CHECK ON FINAL.
AFTER THE INCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED, AND THE GEAR LOCKED IN PLACE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED ON THE AIRCRAFT GEAR TO THE HANGAR AND PLACED ON JACKS.
ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2023, FAA AIRWORTHINESS ASI AND OPERATIONS ASI ARRIVED AT KSUS AND OBSERVED THE GEAR FUNCTION CHECK. THIS WAS PERFORMED WITH THE GEAR IN THE OVERRIDE POSITION. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS STATEMENT THAT THEY ALWAYS FLY IN THE OVERRIDE POSITION. HE ALSO STATED THEY TEACH OTHER PILOTS TO DO THE SAME DUE TO THE DRAG CAUSED BY THE GEAR AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDING IF AIRSPEED IS TOO LOW, POWER IS REDUCED TO LOW AND TO ALLOW THE GEAR TO RETRACT QUICKER AFTER TAKEOFF THAN THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM ALLOWS.
BULLETINS AND LETTERS WERE CHECKED ON THE OVERRIDE SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ADS, BULLETINS, AND LETTERS.
ON OCTOBER 12, 2023, AT THE SPIRIT OF SAINT LOUIS AIRPORT (KSUS) FAA AIRWORTHINESS ASI AND OPERATIONS ASI DISCUSSED THE G3X DATA WHICH REVEALED A SPIKE IN AMPS AFTER LANDING. THE DATA SHOWS THE GEAR HANDLE BEING PLACED IN THE DOWN POSITION AND AN ADDITIONAL SPIKE IN AMPS SHOWS THE MOTOR BEING REACTIVATED ON LANDING. THE TEAM VISITED THE HANGAR AGAIN AND DISCUSSED THE FINDINGS WITH THE PILOT AND MECHANICS. AN EMAIL WAS RECEIVED FROM THE MECHANIC INDICATING THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE UP POSITION ACTIVATES THE HYDRAULIC MOTOR AND CAUSES THE SPIKE. THE GEAR HANDLE BEING IN THE UP POSITION IS THE ONLY EXPLANATION OF THE SPIKE. THE PILOT WAS ASKED IF HE COULD HAVE PLACED THE GEAR HANDLE UP AFTER TOUCHING DOWN INSTEAD OF THE FLAPS. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER FOR SURE. HE IS ADAMANT THAT HE HAD THE GEAR DOWN FOR LANDING.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS REQUESTED OF THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT AND THE SPIKE IN AMPS IS NOT PRESENT AFTER LANDING. NO PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE OF THE COCKPIT GEAR HANDLE POSITION AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2242N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.