# NTSB CEN12LA456: Piper PA-46-310P, N43840, Metropolis, IL, June 22, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 22, 2012, 17:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place: Metropolis, IL
- Coordinates: 37.185832, -88.750556 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1858&lon=-88.7506&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 26, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 84364
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA456
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84364/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84364
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA456

## Probable cause

Landing gear collapse for reasons that could not be determined because testing could not replicate the problem.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md)
- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-46-310P, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7104605), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that he lowered the landing gear and observed three green annunciator lights. Shortly after touching down, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane began drifting to the left and the right main gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of the left main gear. Postaccident examination revealed the landing gear handle was in the UP position. The pilot said he may have hit the handle inadvertently when the nose gear collapsed and he was thrown forward. The hydraulic reservoir was full and there was no sign of leakage. The main gears extended when the emergency extension handle was pulled. Proper travel of the landing gear handle was noted at the selector valve.

## Factual narrative

On June 22, 2012, about 1740 central daylight time, the landing gear of a Piper PA-46-310P, N43840, collapsed on landing at Metropolis Municipal Airport (KM30), Metropolis, Illinois. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Ware Resources, LLC, Martinsville, Illinois, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a business flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The cross-country flight originated from Nashville (KBNA), Tennessee. The pilot reported lowering the landing gear and observing three green annunciator lights. The airplane touched down on runway 36. Shortly thereafter, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane began drifting to the left and the right main gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of the left main gear. Post-accident examination revealed firewall damage and a compromised pressure vessel. The fixed base operator at Metropolis Municipal Airport recovered the airplane and examined the landing gear. They reported the landing gear handle was in the UP position (the pilot said he may have hit the handle inadvertently when the nose gear collapsed and he was thrown forward). The hydraulic reservoir was full and no sign of leakage. The airplane was placed on jacks. When the emergency extension handle was pulled, the main gear came down. The left main gear locked and the right main gear locked after a slight push. After the nose gear doors were removed, the nose gear came down and locked. The landing gear was not cycled due nose gear steering damage. The landing gear selector handle was moved to the DOWN position and proper travel at the selector valve was noted.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N43840](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43840-2014-12-02), registration cancelled 2014-12-02, S/N 46-8508029, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-46-310P
- Registry model: [Piper PA-46-310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (registry code 7104605) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 46-8508029
- Engines: Continental TSIO-520-BE 310 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Ware Resources, LLC
- Registered owner: Ware Resources, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: KBNA, Nashville, TN
- Destination: KM30, Metropolis, IL
- Airport: KM30, Metropolis Municipal, runway 36, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; injuries: none; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles

## 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 20120622014349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120622014349A), Jun 22, 2012: Piper PA-46-310P, Metropolis, IL, Minor damage. After landing at Metropolis , IL the aircraft's nose gear collapsed, the main gear collapsed and then the aircraft slid off the runway.

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 14, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84364. 342 KB in all.

- NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident ReporT (item 1, .PDF, 173 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40375288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1-2,%20Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20ReporT-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot's Statement to FAA (item 2, .PDF, 121 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376098&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement%20to%20FAA-Redacted.PDF
- E-Mail from FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376100&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=E-Mail%20from%20FAA%20Inspector-Redacted.PDF
- E-Mail from Sky's the Limit (item 4, .PDF, 18 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40375289&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=E-Mail%20from%20Sky%27s%20the%20Limit-Redacted.PDF

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.

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