# NTSB ERA23LA302: Pollock Michael D Velocity 173RG, N173DT, Lebanon, NH, July 17, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 17, 2023, 10:25 local (14:25 UTC) - Place: Lebanon, NH - Coordinates: 43.619023, -72.304431 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.6190&lon=-72.3044&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192662 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA302 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192662/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192662 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA302 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to store the nose landing gear securing bar within reach in the cabin, which resulted in a nose gear collapse following a manual landing gear extension. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Pollock Michael D VELOCITY 173RG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=05603OM), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative; cases with it: [Pollock Michael D VELOCITY 173RG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05603OM), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inoperative; cases with it: [Pollock Michael D VELOCITY 173RG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=05603OM), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Pollock Michael D VELOCITY 173RG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05603OM), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, during the preflight inspection he noted the battery switch was in the ON position from two days prior and the battery was depleted. He had line personnel from the fixed based operator help jump start the airplane, which started easily, and he spent 20 minutes on the ramp setting up the avionics and preparing for the flight. He checked the voltage and “assumed the battery was accepting charge from the alternator” and elected to depart on the flight. About 10 miles into the flight, he noticed that the panel lighting was dimming, and the avionics turned off. The pilot returned to the departure airport and while enroute, he noticed the alternator circuit breaker was popped. He reset the circuit breaker and power was restored to the avionics. While circling over the airport, he was cleared to land, and attempted to lower the landing gear, however the alternator circuit breaker popped again, and the avionics powered down. The pilot performed an emergency hydraulic dump to lower the landing gear, however, the nose securing bar, which was used to lock the nose gear in the down position when manually extending the landing gear, was located out of reach in the back of the cabin. The pilot asked the tower controller if the nose landing gear was down, and the response indicated that it “appeared to be down.” The pilot landed the airplane, however when the nose landing gear touched down it collapsed, and the airplane slid about 500 ft, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N173DT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N173DT), registered now, S/N 001, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: POLLOCK MICHAEL D VELOCITY 173RG - Registry model: [Pollock Michael D VELOCITY 173RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/pollock-michael-d-velocity-173rg) (registry code 05603OM) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 001 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 1100 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 14, 2023 - Destination: DNN, Dalton, GA - Airport: LEB, Lebanon Municipal Airport, runway 18, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 14, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,388 total, 300 in this make and model, 5,535 as pilot in command, 60.9 in the last 90 days, 24.8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.91 inHg - Observed at: LEB - METAR: KLEB 171453Z 22006KT 9SM CLR 27/18 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP114 T02720183 53005 ## 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 20230717013829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230717013829A), Jul 17, 2023: Pollock Michael D VELOCITY 173RG, West Lebanon, NH, Substantial damage. The pilot stated during his preflight, for departure from Lebanon Municipal Airport (kleb) NH, he noticed the master switch (batt) was on. He realized when he… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192662. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15838961&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LA302%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 494 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15879681&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20Template%20LA302-Rel.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.