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20231223022349I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Tamuning, GU · December 23, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 23, 2023 · 10:30 local
Place
Tamuning, GU
Airport
Antonio B. Won Pat Internation
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N7436C
Reported as
Piper PA-23-250
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
700 total
N7436CRegistered now · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-7754017 · Built 1976Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

PA-23-250 during day VMC flight pilot in command (PIC) noted flaps did not go down during flap drag demonstration in flight. PIC attempted to lower landing gear to test the hydraulic system. Landing gear failed to extend. PIC announced hydraulic failure. Crew used hydraulic hand pump to lower gear. Hydraulic pump lowered and locked both main landing gear with green light indication in cockpit. Nose gear partially extended; no green light indication in cockpit. Hand pump lost pressure; no change to gear position or indication. PIC attempted flight maneuvers to use g-force to lock gear; no change. Crew verified zero pressure in hand pump. PIC established level flight at 7000 feet and activated emergency C02 gear deployment. C02 emergency system caused nose gear light to come on; both main gear lights went out. Crew requested visual confirmation of gear position from guam center tower. Crew planned for no-flap soft field landing; briefed go-around(ga) procedures. Aircraft touched down; crew state that aircraft began to lean to the right and PIC called ga. Crew noted nose gear light extinguished, both main gear green light illuminated after attempted landing. Requested visual confirmation from guam center tower. Crew planned for no-flap soft field landing. After touchdown nose gear collapsed; minor damage to 2 each props, landing gear assy, and fuselage. No injuries.

As the FAA filed it

PA-23-250 DURING DAY VMC FLIGHT PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) NOTED FLAPS DID NOT GO DOWN DURING FLAP DRAG DEMONSTRATION IN FLIGHT. PIC ATTEMPTED TO LOWER LANDING GEAR TO TEST THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. LANDING GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. PIC ANNOUNCED HYDRAULIC FAILURE. CREW USED HYDRAULIC HAND PUMP TO LOWER GEAR. HYDRAULIC PUMP LOWERED AND LOCKED BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR WITH GREEN LIGHT INDICATION IN COCKPIT. NOSE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED; NO GREEN LIGHT INDICATION IN COCKPIT. HAND PUMP LOST PRESSURE; NO CHANGE TO GEAR POSITION OR INDICATION. PIC ATTEMPTED FLIGHT MANEUVERS TO USE G-FORCE TO LOCK GEAR; NO CHANGE. CREW VERIFIED ZERO PRESSURE IN HAND PUMP. PIC ESTABLISHED LEVEL FLIGHT AT 7000 FEET AND ACTIVATED EMERGENCY C02 GEAR DEPLOYMENT. C02 EMERGENCY SYSTEM CAUSED NOSE GEAR LIGHT TO COME ON; BOTH MAIN GEAR LIGHTS WENT OUT. CREW REQUESTED VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF GEAR POSITION FROM GUAM CENTER TOWER. CREW PLANNED FOR NO-FLAP SOFT FIELD LANDING; BRIEFED GO-AROUND(GA) PROCEDURES. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN; CREW STATE THAT AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LEAN TO THE RIGHT AND PIC CALLED GA. CREW NOTED NOSE GEAR LIGHT EXTINGUISHED, BOTH MAIN GEAR GREEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER ATTEMPTED LANDING. REQUESTED VISUAL CONFIRMATION FROM GUAM CENTER TOWER. CREW PLANNED FOR NO-FLAP SOFT FIELD LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED; MINOR DAMAGE TO 2 EACH PROPS, LANDING GEAR ASSY, AND FUSELAGE. NO INJURIES.