# NTSB DEN01LA114: Piper PA-34-200, N303RC, Provo, UT, June 9, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 9, 2001, 12:55 local (18:55 UTC) - Place: Provo, UT - Coordinates: 40.219188, -111.690452 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2192&lon=-111.6905&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 52470 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01LA114 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52470/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA114 ## Probable cause inadvertent retraction of the landing gear by the pilot rated student during landing roll. A contributing factors was the failure of the instructor to adequately supervise the student. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - gear retraction - inadvertent, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - Gear collapsed, landing - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, dual student (contributing factor) ## Analysis The instructor told an FAA inspector that he and his commercial-rated student had been in the pattern doing landings. He further stated that they came in "a little fast and when we touched down we ballooned." The pilot receiving instruction stated that "we were doing landings and approached a little fast and when the airplane touched down, we ballooned back into the air...the instructor was yelling at me and in the confusion I was not exactly sure what the instructor was saying." When the airplane touched down a second time, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed, and the propellers hit the runway. The flight instructor stated that "the student is believed to have inadvertently moved the gear selector switch from the down position to the up position causing the landing gear to retract." ## Factual narrative On June 9, 2001, at approximately 1255 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N303RC, was substantially damaged during a touch-and-go landing at Provo Municipal Airport, Provo, Utah. The flight instructor and commercial pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for this local instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at approximately 1100. According to telephone statements obtained by an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector in the Salt Lake City Flight Standards District Office two days after the accident, the instructor stated that they had been in the pattern doing landings and that "we came in a little fast and when we touched down we ballooned." When they touched down a second time, the right main gear and nose gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded off to the right side of the runway. The pilot receiving instruction stated that "we were doing landings and approached a little fast and when we touched down we ballooned back into the air...the instructor was yelling at me and in the confusion, I was not exactly sure what the instructor was saying." When they touched down a second time, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed, and the propellers hit the runway. The following is based on the instructor's accident report received at a later date. On the downwind leg, the pilot receiving instruction put the landing gear selector switch in the down position and all three green lights illuminated. The final approach and landing were normal. After the airplane was on the ground and the flaps were retracted, "the student is believed to have inadvertently moved the gear selector switch from the down position to the up position causing the landing gear to retract." A maintenance manager for the Utah Valley State College examined the airplane. He said that the damage was "relatively slight." The right engine firewall was wrinkled at the lower right area just above the engine mount tube attachment point. Additional damage included the step aft of the right wing, wing and belly skins, the right hand wing tip, nose landing gear doors, and both propellers. The maintenance manager stated that he found the left main landing gear to be down and locked. After lifting the airplane off the ground, the landing gear extended properly. An inspection following the accident revealed no discrepancies or damage to the gear except to the nose landing gear doors. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N303RC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N303RC), registered now, S/N 34-7250016, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-34-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-7250016 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-CES 200 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-360-CIE6 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Utah Valley State College - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 10, 2001 - Departed: KPVU, Provo, UT - Destination: Provo, UT - Airport: KPVU, Provo Municipal, runway 31, 8,600 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 27, 2001; seat: rear; flight hours: 879 total, 89 in this make and model, 829 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 43 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 39; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 12, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 749 total, 22 in this make and model, 690 as pilot in command, 225 in the last 90 days, 74 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KPVU ## 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 20010609011829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010609011829A), Jun 9, 2001: Piper PA34200, Provo, UT, No damage. (-23)Aircraft had excessive speed on approach striking the left propeller and ballooning on the initial touchdown runway 31 at Provo, Utah. The righ t main… 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.