# NTSB CEN15LA147: Piper PA 31-350, N727SC, Chicago, IL, February 16, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 16, 2015, 14:45 local (20:45 UTC) - Place: Chicago, IL - Coordinates: 41.787498, -87.75222 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7875&lon=-87.7522&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 August 11, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 90739 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90739/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90739 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA147 ## Probable cause The collapse of the nose and right main landing gears during landing for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7103110), [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-31-350, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he executed a normal approach for landing. During the approach, the pilot lowered the landing gear and verified the extended position by checking the landing gear position indicators in the cockpit. Upon touchdown on the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and then the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then exited the runway surface and came to rest upright. The right wing sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On February 16, 2015, at 1445 central standard time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N727SC, sustained substantial damage following a collapse of the nose and right main landing gear during landing at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois. The airline transport pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to Pinot Leasing, LLC, Zionsville, Indiana, and operated by Solutions Air Charter, Greenfield, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The airplane departed the Indianapolis Regional Airport (MQJ), Indianapolis, Indiana, at 1445 eastern standard time, and was destined for MDW. The pilot reported that he executed a normal approach for landing to runway 4R at MDW. During the approach, the pilot lowered the landing gear and verified the extended position with the landing gear position indicators in the cockpit. Upon touchdown on the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, followed by a collapse of the right main landing gear. The airplane exited the runway surface and came to rest upright. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane, the right wing sustained substantial damage to the forward and aft spars. On March 2, 2015, the airplane was examined by a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, a FAA inspector, and representatives from the operator. At the time of the examination, the airplane was located on an outside ramp surface with its landing gear extended and secured with straps and harness equipment. The airplane is equipped with a hydraulically actuated, retractable tricycle landing gear, and the landing gear system was visually examined. The airplane's hydraulic reservoir, located in the forward baggage compartment, did not exhibit fluid in its sight glass. The sight glass was removed and fluid was observed on a removed strip that was lowered into the sight glass opening. No evidence was found that the hydraulic system was compromised during the accident. During the examination, the airplane power was switched on, the landing gear handle was lowered, and landing gear emergency extension was performed. During the landing gear emergency extension, the landing gear locked into the extended position and the right main inner landing gear door moved to the up position. The left main landing gear door actuator was separated from its door. Due to the unavailability of equipment to properly support the airplane, a test of landing gear retraction and extension operations was not performed. The examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2014. According to the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM), the hydraulic systemfluid level of the reservoir should be checked every 50 hours by placing the airplane in a level position and viewing the fluid level through the sight glass located in the forward surface of the reservoir dome. If fluid is not visible, filtered hydraulic fluid (MIL-H-5606) should be added. The AFM preflight inspection checks do not include verifying the hydraulic fluid level in the sight gauge. According to a FAA inspector who spoke with a Piper technical service representative, the amount of hydraulic fluid found in the accident airplane at the time of the examination would not impact the operation of the landing gear system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N727SC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N727SC-2018-03-19), registration cancelled 2018-03-19, S/N 31-7305110, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 31-350 (350) - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-7305110 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 13600 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-J2BD 350 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING LTI0-540-J2BD 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Solutions Air Charter - Registered owner: Pinot Leasing LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2014 - Departed: MQJ, Indianapolis, IN - Destination: MDW, Chicago, IL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MDW, Chicago Midway International, runway 4R, 6,445 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 25, 2014; seat: left; flight hours: 12,085 total, 40 in this make and model, 6,261 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 19 °F, dew point -6 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: MDW ## 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 20150216002159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150216002159A), Feb 16, 2015: Piper PA-31-350, Chicago, IL, Substantial damage. Upon landing on runway 31R at Midway airport (mdw), Chicago,IL, the nose gear collapsed followed by the right main gear. The aircraft slid off the runway and… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90739. 1.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 761 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Piper Pilot Operating Handbook – Landing Gear Description (item 2, .PDF, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Piper%20Pilot%20Operating%20Handbook%20%E2%80%93%20Landing%20Gear%20Description-Master.PDF - Piper Airplane Flight Manual – Hydraulic System Service (item 3, .PDF, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424377&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Piper%20Airplane%20Flight%20Manual%20%E2%80%93%20Hydraulic%20System%20Service-Master.PDF - Piper Airplane Flight Manual – Preflight Inspection Checklist (item 4, .PDF, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424378&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Piper%20Airplane%20Flight%20Manual%20%E2%80%93%20Preflight%20Inspection%20Checklist-Master.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. --- 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.