CEN14LA474

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 28RT-201T · Houston, TX · July 27, 2014

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 27, 2014, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
Place
Houston, TX
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2148JPiper PA 28RT-201T
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 23, 2015
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20140727012939A
Case key
90008

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The landing gear’s failure to extend for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedPiper PA-28RT-201T: 3 casesAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

While on a visual departure, the pilot noted that the red landing gear unsafe light was illuminated after he retracted the landing gear. The pilot attempted to extend the landing gear using emergency extension procedures, but the green right main landing gear light did not illuminate. The pilot contacted a tower air traffic controller at an en route airport to request a visual report on the landing gear. The tower controller reported that the landing gear appeared to be down. The pilot then proceeded to the destination airport to land. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed. Following the accident, a mechanic replaced the landing gear hydraulic pump, solenoids, and springs. After these components were replaced, the landing gear operated normally during ground testing. The maintenance actions were performed before investigators examined the landing gear.

Factual narrative

On July 27, 2014, about 1830 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T airplane, N2148J, was substantially damaged during landing rollout at Ellington Airport (EFD), Houston, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight, which departed without a flight plan from La Porte Municipal Airport (T41), La Porte, Texas about 1715. While departing from T41, the pilot noted the landing gear unsafe light (red) was illuminated after retracting the landing gear. After extending the landing gear using emergency extension procedures, the right main landing gear light (green) did not illuminate. The pilot accomplished a low approach and received a visual report of his landing gear condition from tower personnel at Scholes Airport (GLS), Galveston, Texas, who informed him the landing gear appeared to be down. The pilot proceeded from GLS to EFD for landing. During rollout at EFD, the right main landing gear collapsed, damaging the right aileron. Following the accident, a mechanic replaced the landing gear hydraulic pump, solenoids, and springs. After these components were replaced, the landing gear operated normally during ground testing. These maintenance actions were performed without the awareness or approval of the Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducting the investigation.

Aircraft

Registration
N2148J
Reported as
Piper PA 28RT-201T
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28R-7931012
Built
1978
Airframe hours
3,687
Engine
Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Stockstill Frank T
Registered owner
Stockstill Frank T
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 3, 2013
Departed
T41 · La Porte, TX
Destination
KELD · Houston, TX
Airport
KELD · Ellington Airport, runway 17R, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete

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
50
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 1, 2013
Seat
Left
Flight hours
227 total · 158 in this make and model · 159 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
180° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
91 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
KEFD

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 12, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.

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 N2148J · 1

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