20241011016209I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Scottsbluff, NE · October 11, 2024

Date
October 11, 2024 · 10:24 local
Place
Scottsbluff, NE
Airport
Western Nebraska Regional/William
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N5670P
Reported as
Piper PA-24-250
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
177 total128 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

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.

The pilot stated the following: "upon turning the plane on and going through my checklist I noticed the gear switch in the neutral position. I proceeded to put it in the "up" position and began to taxi. After taxiing to rwy 30 via alpha > bravo I started my run up procedure. Everything checked out and I proceeded to line up on rwy 30. I made my final calls and applied full power and started my takeoff roll., once I reached rotate speed I began to apply back pressure. This is when the right main gear collapsed on takeoff. I felt my rear smack the runway, I knew my prop had not struck the ground so I kept power in and started to climb. I called kbff explaining I thought I had a gear failure. When I hit the runway on takeoff I looked at my gear switch and realized the error that I made and now caused. I did 2 low passes on rwy 05 so that someone on the ground could inspect the gear. Seeing that nothing changed from its current state I proceeded to fly north and gain some altitude to begin an emergency gear down procedure. After exhausting everything I could do I began my flight back to kbff while keeping them informed during this time. I was informed to land rwy 23 and if possible after the intersecting rwy. I proceeded to rwy 23 and when I knew I had the intersecting rwy made, I pulled mixture and let the engine die while gliding it in for touchdown."

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED THE FOLLOWING: "UPON TURNING THE PLANE ON AND GOING THROUGH MY CHECKLIST I NOTICED THE GEAR SWITCH IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. I PROCEEDED TO PUT IT IN THE "UP" POSITION AND BEGAN TO TAXI. AFTER TAXIING TO RWY 30 VIA ALPHA > BRAVO I STARTED MY RUN UP PROCEDURE. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT AND I PROCEEDED TO LINE UP ON RWY 30. I MADE MY FINAL CALLS AND APPLIED FULL POWER AND STARTED MY TAKEOFF ROLL., ONCE I REACHED ROTATE SPEED I BEGAN TO APPLY BACK PRESSURE. THIS IS WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED ON TAKEOFF. I FELT MY REAR SMACK THE RUNWAY, I KNEW MY PROP HAD NOT STRUCK THE GROUND SO I KEPT POWER IN AND STARTED TO CLIMB. I CALLED KBFF EXPLAINING I THOUGHT I HAD A GEAR FAILURE. WHEN I HIT THE RUNWAY ON TAKEOFF I LOOKED AT MY GEAR SWITCH AND REALIZED THE ERROR THAT I MADE AND NOW CAUSED. I DID 2 LOW PASSES ON RWY 05 SO THAT SOMEONE ON THE GROUND COULD INSPECT THE GEAR. SEEING THAT NOTHING CHANGED FROM ITS CURRENT STATE I PROCEEDED TO FLY NORTH AND GAIN SOME ALTITUDE TO BEGIN AN EMERGENCY GEAR DOWN PROCEDURE. AFTER EXHAUSTING EVERYTHING I COULD DO I BEGAN MY FLIGHT BACK TO KBFF WHILE KEEPING THEM INFORMED DURING THIS TIME. I WAS INFORMED TO LAND RWY 23 AND IF POSSIBLE AFTER THE INTERSECTING RWY. I PROCEEDED TO RWY 23 AND WHEN I KNEW I HAD THE INTERSECTING RWY MADE, I PULLED MIXTURE AND LET THE ENGINE DIE WHILE GLIDING IT IN FOR TOUCHDOWN."

Other reports on N5670P · 1

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