# NTSB ERA24LA138: Piper PA24, N6339P, Stafford, VA, March 7, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 7, 2024, 17:24 local (22:24 UTC) - Place: Stafford, VA · Runway 15 at RMN airport - Coordinates: 38.398111, -77.455472 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3981&lon=-77.4555&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 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): 193917 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193917/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193917 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA138 ## Probable cause An overloading of the landing gear push/pull cable rod ends, which resulted in the landing gear being seized in an intermediate position during the subsequent landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7102403), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: landing gear actuator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233/cases.md?model=7102403), [All aircraft, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023233/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7102403), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102403), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while landing at his initial destination, the right main landing gear partially collapsed. He stated that the initial touchdown was normal, and not hard or side loaded. Once the right main gear partially collapsed, the pilot aborted the landing and attempted to retract the landing gear; however, it would not retract, and the landing gear circuit breaker tripped. The pilot contacted a mechanic and attempted to troubleshoot the problem during the pilot’s flight back to his home airport. During the troubleshooting, the pilot attempted to utilize the manual landing gear extension without success. The pilot performed multiple low passes for the mechanic to visually observe the landing gear. The mechanic reported that the left main landing gear appeared to be almost fully extended; however, the right main and nose gear were in a mid-transit position. After multiple failed attempts to correct the landing gear problem in the air, the pilot landed at his home airport. During the landing, the landing gear fully collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and the wing spar. Examination of the landing gear by the mechanic revealed that the left and right main landing gear push tubes were bent, consistent with the push rods being overloaded. An operational test of the landing gear motor revealed that it operated normally. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6339P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6339P), registered now, S/N 24-1449, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA24 (180) - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-180) (registry code 7102403) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1449 - Year built: 1959 - Airframe hours: 6476.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Aviation Adventures, doing business as Aviation Adventures - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 21, 2023, 65.5 hours before - Departed: TGI, Tangier, VA - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: RMN, Stafford Rgnl, runway 15, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 8, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 644.5 total, 24.2 in this make and model, 424.5 as pilot in command, 22.4 in the last 90 days, 10.3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Observed at: RMN - METAR: KRMN 072215Z AUTO 03008KT 10SM OVC050 22/10 A2999 RMK AO2 T02150100 ## 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 20240307002869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240307002869A), Mar 7, 2024: Piper PA-24-180, Stafford, VA, Substantial damage. On March 7, 2024, at approximately 1300, a Piper PA-24, took off from Stafford regional airport (krmn) VA and flew to shannon airport (kezf) VA. After… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193917. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17129313&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%206120.1%20Accident%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17041863&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20N6339P%20Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Mechanic statement 1 (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17041570&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20Mechanic%20Statement%201_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Mechanic statement 2 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17041543&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04%20Mechanic%20Statement%202_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 5, PDF, 7 pages, 905 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17041580&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=05%20Investigative%20Photographs-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.