What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
I was the pilot in command of aircraft on March 3, 2026.
The flight departed from Hayward airport and was conducted under VFR conditions to
Calaveras airport.
Prior to departure, I conducted a standard preflight inspection in accordance with
Manufacturer guidance and accepted procedures. In compliance with 14 CFR 91.103, I
Reviewed all available information concerning the flight, including weather conditions,
Aircraft status, and other operational factors. No abnormalities were observed with the
Landing gear system, and no discrepancies related to the landing gear were noted in the
Aircraft maintenance records. The aircraft was considered airworthy at the time of
Departure, and I was not aware of any condition that would have affected normal
Operation.
The flight proceeded normally through departure, climb, and cruise, with no abnormal
Aircraft behavior or system indications observed. Upon entering the approach phase at
Approximately overhead calaveras airport, I selected the landing gear for extension. At
That time, I observed that the landing gear did not indicate normal extension. Specifically,
The right main landing gear did not indicate normal extension. The cockpit indications
Showed an absence of a green light for the right landing gear, which was inconsistent
With normal operation.
Upon recognizing the malfunction, I maintained control of the aircraft and discontinued
The landing attempt as appropriate. I followed the applicable emergency procedures and
Checklist for a landing gear malfunction. I attempted normal landing gear extension
Procedures and subsequently performed the emergency gear extension procedures in
Accordance with the aircraft checklist. I verified gear status using available cockpit
Indications. Based on the available information and in the interest of safety, I elected to
Return to Hayward airport.
While approximately 15 miles from Hayward airport, in the vicinity of sunol, I
Communicated with Hayward tower, advised them of the situation, and requested a low
Approach for visual confirmation of the landing gear status. The tower advised that the
Right main landing gear was not extended.
During the event, the hydraulic pump was operating; the circuit breaker was subsequently
Pulled following indications consistent with a lack of hydraulic fluid in the system.
The right main landing gear did not extend. There were no prior indications of
Malfunction before gear selection, and the condition was observed at the time of gear
Extension.
After completing all available troubleshooting procedures, I proceeded with landing at
Hayward airport using the safest available method under the circumstances. The aircraft
Landed with the nose gear and left main gear extended, and the right main gear not
Extended. The aircraft was brought to a controlled stop off the right side of the runway in
A controlled manner consistent with maintaining directional control. There were no
Injuries.
Following the landing, the aircraft was secured, and appropriate personnel were notified.
I affirm that the aircraft was operated in accordance with applicable FAA regulations, that
A proper preflight inspection was completed, and that no known discrepancies existed
Prior to departure. The landing gear malfunction was unexpected. All actions taken were
Focused on ensuring the safety of flight. The aircraft met the requirements of 14 CFR 91.7
At the time of departure, and I exercised my responsibilities as pilot in command
Consistent with 14 CFR 91.3.
I certify that the above statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
As the FAA filed it
I WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF AIRCRAFT ON MARCH 3, 2026.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM HAYWARD AIRPORT AND WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS TO
CALAVERAS AIRPORT.
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, I CONDUCTED A STANDARD PREFLIGHT INSPECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH
MANUFACTURER GUIDANCE AND ACCEPTED PROCEDURES. IN COMPLIANCE WITH 14 CFR 91.103, I
REVIEWED ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FLIGHT, INCLUDING WEATHER CONDITIONS,
AIRCRAFT STATUS, AND OTHER OPERATIONAL FACTORS. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE OBSERVED WITH THE
LANDING GEAR SYSTEM, AND NO DISCREPANCIES RELATED TO THE LANDING GEAR WERE NOTED IN THE
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSIDERED AIRWORTHY AT THE TIME OF
DEPARTURE, AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY CONDITION THAT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED NORMAL
OPERATION.
THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED NORMALLY THROUGH DEPARTURE, CLIMB, AND CRUISE, WITH NO ABNORMAL
AIRCRAFT BEHAVIOR OR SYSTEM INDICATIONS OBSERVED. UPON ENTERING THE APPROACH PHASE AT
APPROXIMATELY OVERHEAD CALAVERAS AIRPORT, I SELECTED THE LANDING GEAR FOR EXTENSION. AT
THAT TIME, I OBSERVED THAT THE LANDING GEAR DID NOT INDICATE NORMAL EXTENSION. SPECIFICALLY,
THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DID NOT INDICATE NORMAL EXTENSION. THE COCKPIT INDICATIONS
SHOWED AN ABSENCE OF A GREEN LIGHT FOR THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR, WHICH WAS INCONSISTENT
WITH NORMAL OPERATION.
UPON RECOGNIZING THE MALFUNCTION, I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DISCONTINUED
THE LANDING ATTEMPT AS APPROPRIATE. I FOLLOWED THE APPLICABLE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND
CHECKLIST FOR A LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION. I ATTEMPTED NORMAL LANDING GEAR EXTENSION
PROCEDURES AND SUBSEQUENTLY PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURES IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST. I VERIFIED GEAR STATUS USING AVAILABLE COCKPIT
INDICATIONS. BASED ON THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, I ELECTED TO
RETURN TO HAYWARD AIRPORT.
WHILE APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES FROM HAYWARD AIRPORT, IN THE VICINITY OF SUNOL, I
COMMUNICATED WITH HAYWARD TOWER, ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION, AND REQUESTED A LOW
APPROACH FOR VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF THE LANDING GEAR STATUS. THE TOWER ADVISED THAT THE
RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED.
DURING THE EVENT, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS OPERATING; THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY
PULLED FOLLOWING INDICATIONS CONSISTENT WITH A LACK OF HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE SYSTEM.
THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. THERE WERE NO PRIOR INDICATIONS OF
MALFUNCTION BEFORE GEAR SELECTION, AND THE CONDITION WAS OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF GEAR
EXTENSION.
AFTER COMPLETING ALL AVAILABLE TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES, I PROCEEDED WITH LANDING AT
HAYWARD AIRPORT USING THE SAFEST AVAILABLE METHOD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE AIRCRAFT
LANDED WITH THE NOSE GEAR AND LEFT MAIN GEAR EXTENDED, AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR NOT
EXTENDED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT TO A CONTROLLED STOP OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IN
A CONTROLLED MANNER CONSISTENT WITH MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
FOLLOWING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SECURED, AND APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL WERE NOTIFIED.
I AFFIRM THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE FAA REGULATIONS, THAT
A PROPER PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED, AND THAT NO KNOWN DISCREPANCIES EXISTED
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION WAS UNEXPECTED. ALL ACTIONS TAKEN WERE
FOCUSED ON ENSURING THE SAFETY OF FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF 14 CFR 91.7
AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, AND I EXERCISED MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS PILOT IN COMMAND
CONSISTENT WITH 14 CFR 91.3.
I CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.