- Date
- March 19, 2000, 19:45 local (Mar 20, 2000, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5WCPiper PA-31-T1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000319011519A
- Case key
- 51202
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 ensure that the landing gear was lowered before touchdown.
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
The pilot reported that while landing, he felt the rudder pedals vibrating. The airplane settled and he heard the propellers striking the runway. The airplane veered to the right off the runway centerline and struck a runway light. The pressure bulkhead was punctured and there was damage to the right engine air scoop cowling, the right wing leading edge, the flaps, gear doors, bottom antennas, pitot tube, and right spinner. An FAA inspector witnessed the landing gear being swung and stated that no discrepancies were noted during the test. The landing gear light and horn systems functioned normally. No preexisting anomalies were found.
Factual narrative
On March 19, 2000, at 1945 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-31-T1, N5WC, landed gear up at the Scottsdale, Arizona, airport. The airplane, operated by Gunslinger Investment Corporation, Telluride, Colorado, sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal cross-country flight had originated in Telluride, Colorado, at 1815, and was terminating at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that while landing on runway 21, he felt the rudder pedals vibrating. The airplane settled and he heard the propellers striking the runway. The airplane veered to the right off the runway centerline and struck a runway light. The pressure bulkhead was punctured and there was damage to the right engine air scoop cowling, the right wing leading edge, the flaps, gear doors, bottom antennas, pitot tube, and right spinner.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office responded to the site. He reported that on March 23, 2000, he witnessed the landing gear being swung at the Scottsdale airport. He stated that no discrepancies were noted during the test. The landing gear light and horn systems functioned normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5WC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-T1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31T-7904028
- Airframe hours
- 2,368
- Engine
- P&W -PT6A-11, 500 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gunslinger Investment
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 11, 1999 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- TEX · Telluride, CO
- Destination
- SDL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SDL · Scottsdale, runway 21, 8,249 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 3,900 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHX, 13 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.