# NTSB ATL00LA073: Piper PA-30, N8629Y, Key West, FL, June 24, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 24, 2000, 11:01 local (15:01 UTC) - Place: Key West, FL - Coordinates: 24.549844, -81.780364 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.5498&lon=-81.7804&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49886 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL00LA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49886/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA073 ## Probable cause A landing gear collapse resulting from the pilot's unsuccessful attempt to complete the manual gear extension due to physical strength overload. A factor was the complete electrical system failure during cruise flight. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - normal - electrical system - failure,total (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear - not secured (cause) - emergency procedure - not successful, pilot in command (cause) - physical strength overload, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot originally departed Bowling Green, Ohio, with his wife and another passenger, en route to Key West, Florida. While en route, the airplane experienced several complete electrical system failures. While over Cape Canaveral, Florida, the airplane experienced an electrical failure and one of the passengers assisted the pilot in manually lowering the landing gear. During one diversion, the airplane's battery was charged and replaced, and on another occasion the right alternator and a broken wire from the left alternator were replaced. Prior to the reaching Key West, the one passenger who assisted the pilot in manually lowering the landing gear returned to Ohio by car. While en route to the final destination, the airplane experienced another electrical system failure 14 miles north of Key West. The pilot attempted to manually lower the landing gear, but lacked enough 'muscle' to physically lower the landing gear in the down and locked position. Upon touching down on runway 9, the airplane's landing gear collapsed. ## Factual narrative On June 24, 2000, at 1101 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N8629Y, was substantially damaged when the gear collapsed during landing on runway 09 at Key West International Airport in Key West, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from St. Lucie County International Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida, at 0945. According to the pilot, he originally departed Bowling Green, Ohio, en route to Macon, Georgia, in order to have the airplane's autopilot system inspected. No discrepancies were found and the flight continued on to Fort Pierce, Florida. While approaching Cape Canaveral, Florida, the airplane experienced an electrical system failure. The pilot elected to divert to Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Florida. According to the pilot, "with the help" of the passenger, the landing gear was manually lowered in the down and locked position and an uneventful landing was made. The following morning, a maintenance technician charged the battery and no additional discrepancies were found. While taxing to the active runway, once again the entire electrical system failed. According to a maintenance technician, the battery was again found to be the problem and a new one was installed. Prior to departure, the second passenger who assisted the pilot in manually lower the landing gear elected to return to Ohio by car, leaving the pilot and his wife to continue on to Key West, Florida. The flight was then conducted without incident from Titusville, Florida, to Fort Pierce, Florida. Upon landing at Fort Pierce, a maintenance technician at the airport replaced the right alternator and a broken wire from the left alternator. The flight then continued on to Key West, Florida. According to the pilot, the airplane experienced another complete electrical system failure 14 miles north of Key West. The pilot attempted to manually lower the landing gear, but was unable to get it in the down and locked position. The pilot reported that he "attempted to manually lower the landing gear; however, it would not lock into place." According to an interview conducted by an FAA inspector two days following the accident, the pilot stated that he "did not have the muscle to manually get the landing gear completely down and locked." Upon touching down on runway 9 at Key West, the landing gear collapsed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8629Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8629Y), registered now, S/N 30-1770, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-30 - Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30-1770 - Airframe hours: 3696 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: John C. Halleck - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 2000, 75 hours before - Departed: FPR, FORT PIERCE, FL - Destination: EYW - Airport: EYW, Key West International, runway 9, 4,801 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 5,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EYW ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000624008149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000624008149A), Jun 24, 2000: Piper PA30, Key West, FL, No damage. (-23) Pilot experienced total electrical failure onboard a/c approx. 14 miles north of the Key West International Airport. He attempted to manually extend the… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.