GAA19CA398

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna R182 · Petersburg, VA · July 10, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 10, 2019, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC)
Place
Petersburg, VA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N757PUCessna R182
Defining event
Landing: Landing gear not configured
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 2, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190710016799A
Case key
99814

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 failure to verify that the main landing gear were extended, which resulted in landing with partially extended landing gear. Contributing to the accident was a tripped landing gear motor circuit breaker.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Action: lack of actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotCessna R182: 7 casesAll aircraft: 792 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot of the retractable, landing gear-equipped airplane reported that, after takeoff, there was an issue with the alternator. He checked the circuit breakers, which were "in," and decided to land at a nearby airport to have the alternator examined. During the approach, he placed the landing gear handle in the gear extended position. He said it felt "normal" but that he did not remember if he heard the landing gear motor. He did not look outside the high-wing airplane to check the landing gear position, and he did not remember seeing the green landing gear position lights illuminate. He added that the landing gear warning horn did not sound. He reported that, during landing, the nose landing gear was down and locked, but the main landing gear were trailing behind the airplane, and the airplane slid to the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that, if he knew the gear had not extended, he would have manually pumped the landing gear down. The mechanic reported that, when he arrived at the airplane postaccident, the landing gear circuit breaker was popped. He jacked up the airplane and repositioned the landing gear and then turned on the power, pushed in the landing gear circuit breaker, and raised the landing gear. He did not recall hearing the warning horn but mentioned that the throttle "may have been pushed in." He successfully cycled the landing gear multiple times. The mechanic added that a previous pilot of the accident airplane reported that the landing gear circuit breaker would often pop and that he would lower the landing gear with the manual pump. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the retractable landing gear airplane reported that, after takeoff, there was an issue with the alternator. He checked the circuit breakers, which were "in," and decided to land at a nearby airport to have the alternator examined. During approach, he performed a GUMPS check and placed the landing gear handle in the gear extended position. It felt "normal", but he did not remember if he heard the landing gear motor. He did not look outside the high-wing airplane to check the landing gear position and he did not remember seeing the green landing gear position lights. He added that the landing gear warning horn did not sound. He reported that during landing the nose landing gear was down and locked, but the main landing gear were trailing behind the airplane, and the airplane slid to the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that if he knew the gear had not extended, he would have manually pumped the landing gear down. The mechanic reported that when he arrived at the airplane postaccident, the landing gear circuit breaker was popped. They jacked the airplane and repositioned the landing gear. He then turned on the power, pushed in the landing gear circuit breaker, and raised the landing gear. He did not recall hearing the warning horn, but mentioned that the throttle "may have been pushed in." They successfully cycled the landing gear multiple times. The mechanic added that a previous pilot of the accident airplane reported that the landing gear circuit breaker would often pop and he would lower the landing gear with the manual pump. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

Aircraft

Registration
N757PU
Reported as
Cessna R182 (No Series)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
R18201253
Built
1979
Engine
Lycoming O-540-J3C5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Williamsburg Flight Center
Registered owner
Avs Aviation Llc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 19, 2019
Departed
JGG · Williamsburg, VA
Destination
PTB · Petersburg, VA
Airport
PTB · Dinwiddie County, runway 23, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Handheld GPS, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system

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
64
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
August 15, 2018
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
950 total · 80 in this make and model · 850 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
170° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
30.10 inHg
Observed at
KPTB

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.