- Date
- September 16, 1993, 11:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Hobart, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4470PPiper PA-23-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930916034999A
- Case key
- 9314
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The certificated flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight during a simulated single engine approach and landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The CFI and commercial multiengine student were practicing traffic pattern work and single engine procedures in preparation for a checkride. The CFI simulated a right engine failure and instructed the student to proceed with a single engine landing. The airplane touched down with the landing gear up. The CFI stated they had extended the gear and noted three green (gear down and locked) lights before touchdown. Postaccident investigation revealed the landing gear selector was in the gear down position. The landing gear was up and gear doors were closed. The landing gear was pumped down manually. It extended and locked normally, with corresponding green light indications. There was no evidence of preimpact malfunction.
Factual narrative
On September 16, 1993, at 1125 hours eastern standard time, a Piper PA23, N4470P, piloted by a certificated flight instructor (CFI) and multiengine student, sustained substantial damage when it touched down on the runway at Hobart, Indiana with the landing gear up. The two occupants reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Hobart, Indiana, approximately 1120 hours.
The CFI reported he and the multiengine commercial certificated student departed with the intention of practicing pattern work and single engine procedures. The airplane was on a left downwind leg for Runway 18 when the CFI simulated a right engine failure. He instructed the student to proceed with a single engine landing. The CFI stated "...Upon crossing the threshold for the flare we just seemed to drop and the next thing...we were scraping the ground... ."
The CFI stated they had placed the landing gear handle in the gear down position, and observed three green lights, indicating the gear was down and locked. Postaccident investigation revealed the landing gear selector was in the gear down position. The landing gear was up, and the gear doors were closed. The airplane was lifted, placed on jacks, and the landing gear was pumped down manually. The FAA Inspector reported the gear extended and locked normally, with corresponding green light indications. There was no indication of preimpact malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4470P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-1976
- Airframe hours
- 1,800
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B3B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Niemeyer Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 30, 1993 · 60 hours before
- Airport
- 3HO · Hobart Skyranch, runway 18, 3,100 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 23
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,350 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GYY, 8 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.