# NTSB LAX05LA206: Piper PA-24-250, N7737P, California City, CA, April 9, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 9, 2005, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: California City, CA - Coordinates: 35.152221, -118.01667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1522&lon=-118.0167&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61722 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX05LA206 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61722/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA206 ## Probable cause The failure of the normal landing gear system to extend for undetermined reasons that resulted in a gear collapse during landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - inoperative (cause) - gear down and locked - attempted, pilot in command - landing gear,emergency extension assembly - engaged ## Analysis The gear collapsed on landing. En route, the pilot encountered turbulence, and climbed to 10,500 feet. As he crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he observed an overcast layer over the San Joaquin Valley. He did not have an instrument rating and decided to divert back across the mountains to the airport where the accident occurred. During the descent, he encountered very heavy turbulence. On downwind, he selected the landing gear down, but it failed to extend, giving neither an up-or-down indication on the position lights. He observed the landing gear circuit breaker had popped out, and attempted to reset it, but it would immediately pop back out. He then activated the emergency gear extension system. In his report of the accident he stated, "I pulled on the handle and felt it was locked." On approach, the pilot experienced strong crosswinds and turbulence, and just after touchdown, the landing the gear collapsed. The airplane skidded approximately 200 feet along the runway. The reason for the failure of the landing gear system to extend normally was not determined. ## Factual narrative On April 9, 2005, about 1100 Pacific daylight time, the landing gear of a Piper PA-24-250, N7737P, collapsed during the landing rollout at the California City Municipal Airport, California City, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed from Lake Havasu, Arizona, about 1000 mountain standard time, en route to Porterville Municipal Airport, Porterville, California. No flight plan had been filed. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he initially departed Deming, New Mexico. He obtained a weather briefing, and was informed of high winds, but no clouds en route. He made a fuel stop at Lake Havasu City. He then called for another weather briefing, and was informed of high winds and turbulence with scattered clouds at his destination. He elected to continue the final leg of the flight. En route, the pilot encountered turbulence, and climbed to 10,500 feet. As he crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains at Tehachapi, he observed an overcast layer over the San Joaquin Valley. Not being IFR rated, he decided to divert back to California City. During the descent, he encountered heavy turbulence. On downwind, he activated the landing gear, but it failed to extend, giving neither an up-or-down indication. He observed the landing gear circuit breaker had popped out, and attempted to reset it, but it would immediately pop back out. He then activated the emergency gear extension system. After extending the gear, he stated, "I pulled on the handle and felt it was locked." On approach, the pilot experienced strong crosswinds and turbulence, and just after touchdown, the landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded approximately 200 feet along the runway. This was upgraded from an incident to an accident on June 13, 2005. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted that the structural members on the bottom of the cabin had sustained damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7737P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7737P), registered now, S/N 24-2951 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-2951 - Airframe hours: 2500 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Westel Creager - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2004, 20 hours before - Departed: HII, Lake Havasu, AZ - Destination: PTV, Porterville, CA - Airport: L71, California City Municipal Arpt, runway 24, 6,027 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 1, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 4,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 4,000 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 18 knots - Visibility: 45 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: EDW, 16 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 20050409014029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050409014029A), Apr 9, 2005: Piper PA24250, California Cit, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft enroute from: deming, NM, to: porterville, CA, upon landing at CA city airport (L71), experienced a landing gear system electrical failure… 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.