# NTSB DEN08CA144: Piper PA-24-250, N6265P, Pine Bluff, AR, August 13, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 13, 2008, 18:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place: Pine Bluff, AR
- Coordinates: 34.173053, -91.935554
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1731&lon=-91.9356&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 January 22, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA Flight Stabdards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 68717
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08CA144
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68717/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08CA144

## Probable cause

Landing gear collapse for reasons undetermined.

## 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-24-250, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102404), [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-24-250, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, the landing gear was down and locked and the green GEAR SAFE light was illuminated. When the airplane touched down and the nose settled, the pilot heard the propeller strike the runway. The airplane skidded approximately 300 feet, then the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt. The pilot exited the airplane. Shortly thereafter, as he walked back towards the airplane, he heard a "pop" and saw a small fire under the firewall and in front of the wing. The airplane became engulfed in flames. The cockpit and cabin area was completely gutted. A mechanic examined the airplane but was unable to determine the cause of the landing gear failure due to the amount of fire damage.

## Factual narrative

On August 13, 2008 approximately 1850 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-2560, N6265P, pilot by a private pilot, was destroyed when the nose landing gear collapsed on landing and the airplane caught fire at Grider Field (PBF), Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan.  The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured.  The local flight originated at PBF approximately 1815.

According to the pilot's accident report, the landing gear was down and locked and the green GEAR SAFE light was illuminated. After the airplane touched down and the nose settled, the pilot heard the propeller strike the runway. The airplane skidded approximately 300 feet, then the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt. The pilot exited the airplane. Shortly thereafter, as he walked back towards the airplane, he heard a "pop" and saw a small fire under the firewall and in front of the wing. The airplane became engulfed in flames. The cockpit and cabin area was completely gutted.

A mechanic who examined the airplane wrote, "I am unable to give any reliable assessment as to the cause of the landing gear failure due to the amount of fire damage."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6265P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6265P-2015-05-15), registration cancelled 2015-05-15, S/N 24-1373 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-250
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-1373
- Airframe hours: 1920
- Engines: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Carl D. Purnell
- Registered owner: Carl D. Purnell
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2007, 60 hours before
- Departed: PBF, Pine Bluff, AR
- Destination: PBF, Pine Bluff, AR
- Airport: PBF, Grider Field, runway 35, 5,998 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 82; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 3,300 total, 1,600 in this make and model, 3,300 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observed at: PBF

## 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 20080813843149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080813843149A), Aug 13, 2008: Piper PA24250, Pine Bluff, AR, Destroyed. (-23) On autgust 13, 2008 Piper comanche N6265P, serial number 24-1373 impacted the runway in Pine Bluff, Arkansas at approximately 18:45 hours. The aircraft…

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.

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