- Date
- June 4, 1995, 10:29 local (14:29 UTC)
- Place
- Columbia, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7392PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950604045449A
- Case key
- 3578
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The misalignment of the nose gear centering track and roller assemblies which precluded landing gear extension.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After several attempts to lower the landing gear, the pilot elected to make a gear up landing. Examination of the nose gear retraction and extension system failed to disclose a material failure. The examination of the nose gear disclosed that the roller aligner assembly was displaced outside of the centering track, and the nose gear retracted into the wheel well at an angle. No nose gear assembly component showed excessive wear or fractures.
Factual narrative
On June 4, 1995, at 1029 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24- 250, N7392P, landed with the landing gear up after several low passes and attempts to lower the landing gear at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in Columbia, South Carolina. The personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged; the pilot was not injured. The flight departed Winnsboro, South Carolina, at 0945 hours.
Upon arriving at Columbia, the pilot discovered that the landing gear would not extend. After several attempts to lower the landing gear, the pilot elected to make a gear up landing. The airplane touched down and skidded 200 feet to a stop. The local fixed base operator recovered the airplane, and parked it on the ramp.
An examination of the landing gear system, disclosed that the nose gear roller aligner assembly was positioned outside of the nose gear centering track. This position allowed the nose gear to retract into the wheel well at an angle. The examination of the nose gear retraction and extension assemblies failed to disclose a material failure. The exact means by which the misalignment occurred was not determined.
The Pilot failed to complete and return NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Report)as requested.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7392P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-2576
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1A5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Samuel M. Goodwin
- Registered owner
- Sandee L. Cox
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FDW · Winnsboro, SC
- Destination
- CAE
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CAE · Columbia Metro Airport, runway 5, 7,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 15 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CAE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7392P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.