- Date
- September 8, 1995, 16:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Greeley, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2291PPiper PA-23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950908028459A
- Case key
- 19574
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 pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision by inadvertently selecting a less suitable area for landing (than the runway). Factors relating to the accident were: a malfunction of the nose landing gear micro-switch, which resulted in a false indication that the nose landing gear was not down-and-locked, and rough/uneven terrain in the selected (grass) landing area beside the runway.
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
After entering the pattern on return from a local area personal flight, the pilot could not get a down-and-locked indication of the nose landing gear. The airport manager informed the pilot that all three landing gear appeared to be in the down position, and suggested that he check the light bulb and circle until the fire department arrived. The pilot replied in the affirmative then landed the aircraft in a grass area between the runway and taxiway. This grass area was rough and uneven. The landing gear remained down and locked during the landing roll. Examination of the aircraft revealed the nose landing gear micro-switch was out of adjustment. In the event of a nose landing gear unsafe indication, the aircraft operating procedures were to conduct a normal full flap landing and hold the nose gear from touching down as long as possible.
Factual narrative
On September 8, 1995, at 1635 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA- 23, N2291P, landed in the grass beside the runway at Greeley Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado. The commercial pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this 14 CFR Part 91 local area personal flight and no flight plan was filed.
According to the airport manager, the pilot called UNICOM and reported that he had no down and locked indication on his nose landing gear. Persons on the ground observed that all three landing gear appeared to be down. The airport manager said that it was suggested to the pilot that he check the light bulb and circle until the fire department arrived. The pilot responded in the affirmative and then proceeded to land in the grass area between the runway and taxiway. The damage to the aircraft occurred during landing roll in the grass area which was rough and uneven.
During landing roll, the landing gear remained in the down and locked position; however, the rough terrain caused the left wing and engine to contact the ground damaging the wing, engine, and propeller.
Examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed a short in the nose landing gear down and a locked micro switch.
According to the POH (pilot operating handbook), in the event the nose landing gear does not extend or indicates unsafe, a normal full flap landing should be made and the nose landing gear should be held off the ground as long as possible.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2291P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-902
- Airframe hours
- 2,668
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard C. Nolan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1994 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- GXY
- Airport
- GXY · Greeley Weld County, runway 27, 6,200 × 100 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
- 85
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 20,000 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GXY, 1 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.
Other investigations on N2291P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.