# NTSB FTW98LA369: Piper PA-34-200T, N6935C, Blanding, UT, August 13, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 13, 1998, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Blanding, UT - Coordinates: 37.550296, -109.480339 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5503&lon=-109.4803&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43776 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA369 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43776/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA369 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate landing flare, causing components of the nose wheel landing gear to fracture. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,nose gear - fractured (cause) - flight to destination alternate - performed, pilot in command - Wheels up landing, emergency landing - wheels up landing - performed, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot told his employer that the nose landing gear would not extend, and he diverted to another airport where he landed with the nose gear retracted. Inspection disclosed damage consistent with a hard landing. Two witnesses later reported having observed the hard landing. A passenger aboard the airplane later corrborated the report. The pilot was later terminated and attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. ## Factual narrative On August 13, 1998, at 1415 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N6935C, was substantially damaged during a wheels up landing at Blanding Municipal Airport, Blanding, Utah. The airline transport rated pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight was being operated by Scenic Aviation, Inc., as an air medical transport flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, Flagstaff, Arizona, at 1230. According to the president of Scenic Aviation, Inc., the pilot advised the company's dispatch office that while attempting to land at Chinle Airport, Chinle, Arizona, the nose landing gear would not extend, and he was diverting to Blanding, Utah, the company's base of operations. All attempts to manually extend the nose landing gear failed. As fire and medical personnel stood by, the pilot landed. The main wheels touched down and as the nose lowered, both propellers struck the ground. Scenic Airlines maintenance personnel inspected the nose landing gear and determined that the damaged was consistent with a hard landing. The tubular structure at the base of the windscreen was broken through the skin. Two Scenic Aviation employees later reported having witnessed the hard landing at Chinle Airport. They said the pilot aborted the landing and made a go-around. During the second attempt to land, the nose landing gear failed to extend. The flight nurse aboard the airplane later corrborated this report. In a written statement, she said "the approach [into Chinle] seemed normal, but as [the aircraft] touched down, there was a tremendous hard hit on the ground. This occurred about three times." She further stated it felt as though the aircraft "was going to flip end over end, but [the pilot] gave it power and was able to get it back into the air." Once airborne, the pilot "circled about Chinle for about 20-30 minutes - making attempts to get the gear down." The pilot then notified her he was going to divert to Blanding. Based on this discovery, the pilot was terminated. Attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6935C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6935C-2011-09-27), registration cancelled 2011-09-27, S/N 34-7870167, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-34-200T - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-7870167 - Airframe hours: 10189 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-EB 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Scenic Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 7, 1998, 11 hours before - Departed: FLG, FLAGSTAFF, AZ - Destination: Q32, CHINLE, AZ - Airport: BDG, Blanding Municipal, runway 17, 6,000 × 72 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,151 total, 2,101 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: CNY, 73 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980813029779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980813029779A), Aug 13, 1998: Piper PA34200T, Blanding, UT, Substantial damage. (.4) The pilot told his employer that the nose landing gear would not extend, and he diverted to another airport where he landed with the nose gear retracted.… ## Other investigations on N6935C (1) 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. - [NTSB ATL83IA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL83IA208), May 26, 1983: Piper PA-34-200T (N6935C), Muscle Shoals, AL, incident, minor damage 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.