# NTSB CEN18LA097: Piper PA 24-260, N9360P, Fargo, ND, February 8, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 7, 2018, 18:00 local (Feb 8, 2018, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Fargo, ND - Coordinates: 46.920555, -96.815834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9206&lon=-96.8158&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 5, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 96734 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA097 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96734/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96734 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA097 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to use the published emergency procedures to manually extend the landing gear when an electrical failure precluded normal extension of the landing gear, resulting in the gear collapse during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to ensure, before takeoff, that the battery was fully charged after its depletion due to a faulty alternator. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Electrical power system: battery/charger](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md) - [Electrical power system: aC generator-alternator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022421): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022421/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022421/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102406), [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-24-260, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot taxied the airplane to the airport jet center to pick up a passenger for a personal flight. When leaving the jet center, the airplane's engine did not start. A ground power unit was used to charge the airplane's battery to start the engine. The pilot verified that the battery was charging. The pilot then taxied the airplane to the runway and performed an engine run-up but did not verify before takeoff that the battery was fully charged by checking the ammeter indication. After departure and after raising the landing gear, the pilot realized that he did not receive a radio call from the tower controller and noticed that all of the radios were inoperative, which indicated a loss of electrical power. The pilot subsequently re-entered the traffic pattern and rocked the airplane's wings to provide an indication to the tower controller of the radio difficulties. The controller provided a green light to indicate that the airplane was cleared to land, and the pilot used normal procedures for the landing. However, due to the loss of electrical power, the pilot initiated an emergency gear extension but was unable to remove the cover plate over the emergency gear handle. The pilot then bent the cover back, placed the emergency extension rod into the right hole on the torque tube, and rocked the rod back and forth. The pilot checked the mirror on the airplane's wing tip, and the landing gear appeared to be down. When the airplane touched down on the runway, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid off the runway and impacted a runway sign, causing substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot did not use the emergency procedures in the airplane flight manual or abbreviated checklist to properly extend the gear despite being trained to do so. An examination of the electrical system revealed that a faulty alternator caused the electrical failure and that the battery was not fully charged before takeoff. ## Factual narrative On February 7, 2018, about 1800 central standard time, a Piper PA-24-260 airplane, N9360P, had a runway excursion when its landing gear collapsed during landing on runway 18 at the Hector International Airport (FAR), near Fargo, North Dakota. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage when it contacted a runway sign. The rental airplane was registered to Vic's Aircraft Sales LLC and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Dusk light visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from FAR about 1740. In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that he'd taxied the airplane to the Jet Center to pick up a passenger. When leaving the Jet Center, the airplane's engine would not start. A ground power unit was used to start the airplane's engine. The pilot ran the airplane's engine in an attempt to charge the battery and verified the charging system by checking the ammeter. The pilot taxied the airplane out to the runway and performed a run-up; however, he did not verify the ammeter indication before takeoff. After departure, the pilot noticed that he did not receive a radio call from the tower controller and saw that all the radios were inoperative. He subsequently re-entered the traffic pattern at FAR and rocked the airplane's wings to indicate to the tower controller that he was experiencing radio difficulties. The controller gave him a green light to land and the pilot selected the gear down using normal procedures, and then due to the electrical failure, initiated the emergency gear extension. The pilot was unable to remove the cover plate over the emergency gear handle, so he bent the cover back. He then placed the emergency extension rod into the right hole on the torque tube and rocked the rod back and forth. The pilot checked the mirror on the wing tip and the landing gear appeared to be down. On touchdown on the runway, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid off the runway where it impacted a runway sign. The pilot was not able to see the emergency gear extension instruction printed inside the cover plate as he could not open it, and he did not use the emergency procedures in the airplane flight manual or abbreviated check list to properly extend the gear. According to the flight instructor who conducted the pilot's checkout in the accident airplane, he'd explained to the pilot how the electrical system fails to charge a battery that has gone completely dead even when you use external power start the engine. The instructor further explained that "for the battery to be charged by the alternator you first need to get at least a minimal charge in the battery to provide enough voltage to open the field for the electricity from the alternator to flow to the battery to fully charge it." Theinstructor also explained the emergency landing gear extension and how it would require a mechanic to reset the gear. Once the emergency landing gear extension had been accomplished the pilot cannot retract the gear. The instructor and pilot then pulled the floor panel for the landing gear and visually discussed the landing gear and emergency gear extension for a second time. This included pulling the removable extension handle from its position and demonstrating how it inserted into the socket. The instructor advised that the pilot would feel a positive movement and physical locking of the gear into place when the emergency procedure was completed. He pointed out that during an electrical failure, the pilot would not have a gear down light illuminated but there was the mirror on the left wing that would show at least two of the gear down. An FAA inspector interviewed a mechanic that troubleshot the aircraft electrical system following the accident. It was determined that the alternator was the cause of the electrical charging failure and that the battery was not fully charged before takeoff. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9360P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9360P-2023-08-14), registration cancelled 2023-08-14, S/N 24-4860 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 24-260 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (registry code 7102406) (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: 24-4860 - Year built: 1969 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-D4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: FAR, Fargo, ND - Destination: FAR, Fargo, ND - Airport: FAR, Hector Intl, runway 18, 9,001 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 111 total, 5.6 in this make and model, 29.5 as pilot in command, 12.3 in the last 90 days, 0.3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 190° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 3 °F, dew point -4 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: KFAR ## 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 20180207002089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180207002089A), Feb 7, 2018: Piper PA-24-260, Fargo, ND, Substantial damage. Feb, 7, 2018 aircraft was involved with a gear collapse after landing at Fargo hector airport approximately 1744 on runway 18. Aircraft had veered off the… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96734. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462044&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 417 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462045&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous Information - Placard (item 3, .PDF, 168 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462046&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20Information%20-%20Placard-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous Information - AFM Excerpt (item 4, .PDF, 182 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462047&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20Information%20-%20AFM%20Excerpt-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Communication Summary - R. Anderson CFI (item 5, .PDF, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462048&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Communication%20Summary%20-%20R.%20Anderson%20CFI-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.