# NTSB CEN18LA048: Piper PA 31-310, N722CF, Jeffersonville, IN, December 4, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 3, 2017, 19:10 local (Dec 4, 2017, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Jeffersonville, IN - Coordinates: 38.365554, -85.738052 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3656&lon=-85.7381&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-Indianapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96425 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA048 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96425/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96425 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA048 ## Probable cause The right main landing gear’s failure to fully extend for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident testing revealed no mechanical anomalies 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-31-310, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7103102), [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: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-310, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7103102), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-310, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7103102), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-310, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103102), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis When the airplane was about 5 miles from the airport, the commercial pilot lowered the landing gear and noted that the right main landing gear (MLG) was slow to extend, but within a few seconds, all three gear down indicator lights illuminated. The airplane descended normally, and when it was above the runway about to flare, the right MLG indicator light extinguished. The pilot initiated a go-around, increased engine power, pitched for climb, and retracted the MLG and flaps. The airplane likely settled after the flaps were retracted, and the pilot heard a noise similar to a propeller blade contacting something. The pilot decided to abort the go-around and landed the airplane straight ahead. The airplane came to a stop on the runway with the MLG retracted. Postaccident MLG retraction tests were performed satisfactorily, and no defects were noted. Based on the available information, the reason that the right MLG did not fully extend and lock could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On December 3, 2017, about 1910 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-31-310, N722CF, was damaged during a wheels-up landing on runway 18 at the Clark Regional Airport (JVY), Jeffersonville, Indiana. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to fuselage longerons and the aft flange of the main wing spar carry through. The aircraft was registered to Luftladder Inc. and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident. A visual flight rules flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from the Wellsville Municipal Airport (ELZ), near Wellsville, New York, about 1630, with JVY as the intended destination. The pilot reported that when the airplane was about 5 miles from JVY, he lowered the landing gear and the right main landing gear was slow to extend, but within a few seconds all three gear down indicator lights illuminated. A normal descent was made and when the airplane was over the runway about to flare, the right main landing gear light went out. The pilot initiated a go-around, increasing engine power, pitching for climb, and retracting the landing gear and flaps. He stated that the airplane may have settled after the flaps were retracted and he heard a noise as if a propeller blade had contacted something. He decided to discontinue the go-around and landed the airplane straight ahead, coming to a stop on the runway with the landing gear retracted. After the accident the airplane landing gear was tested under the supervision of Federal Aviation Administration inspectors. Before the test, an o-ring was replaced on the hydraulic reservoir, but this would not have prevented the right main landing gear from extending. The gear retraction tests were performed satisfactorily, with no defects in the landing gear operation noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N722CF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N722CF-2018-05-10), registration cancelled 2018-05-10, S/N 31-7300968, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 31-310 (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-310](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-310) (registry code 7103102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-541 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-541-series) (registry code 41536, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-7300968 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 13489 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-A2C 310 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING TIO-540-A2C 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Luftladder Inc - Registered owner: Luftladder Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, October 18, 2017, 35 hours before - Departed: ELZ, WELLSVILLE, NY - Destination: JVY, Jeffersonville, IN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: JVY, Clark Rgnl, runway 18, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 22,516 total, 10,481 in this make and model, 22,496 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 80° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: LOU, 10 nm away ## 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 20171203022609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171203022609A), Dec 3, 2017: Piper PA-31-310, Jeffersonville, IN, Substantial damage. On December 3, 2017, at approximately 19:00 eastern time (2300Z), a Piper PA-31, N722CF, landed with the landing gear retracted on runway 18 at the Clark… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96425. 4.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468189&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Landing Gear Retraction Test Report (item 2, .PDF, 17 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468190&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Landing%20Gear%20Retraction%20Test%20Report-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468191&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-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.