LAX06CA020

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-44-180 · Prescott, AZ · October 27, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 27, 2005, 08:40 local (15:40 UTC)
Place
Prescott, AZ
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8154HPiper PA-44-180
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 28, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20051027028489A
Case key
62751

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The nose landing gear collapsing during the landing roll for undetermined reasons.

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.

Nose gear collapsedLanding - roll
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - runway

Analysis

The airplane experienced a nose landing gear collapse while on the landing roll. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that she was performing the landing in the multiengine airplane. The student kept his hands on the control yoke in an attempt to follow along with the instructor and feel her control inputs. While approaching the runway surface, the instructor configured the airplane for a power-off landing and retarded the throttles. She noted that all three landing gear lights in the cockpit were illuminated green in indication that landing gear was in a down and locked position. She confirmed this configuration visually by looking at the reflection of the extended landing gear in a small mirror located on the wing. Upon touchdown, the main landing gear made contact with the runway and the student pilot began to reach for the landing gear handle thinking that it was the flap handle. The instructor waved her hand to block him and told him "no." The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid on the nose. After the airplane came to rest the instructor noted that the landing gear handle was in the "down" position. The student pilot stated that he did not touch the landing gear handle. A mechanic repairing the airplane reported that the landing gear and linkages were all intact with no anomalies noted. The actuator could not be tested due to the extent of the damage.

Factual narrative

The airplane experienced a landing gear collapse while on the landing roll. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that she was performing a landing in the multiengine airplane. The student kept his hands on the control yoke in an attempt to follow along with the instructor and feel her control inputs. While approaching the runway surface, the CFI configured the airplane for a power-off landing and retarded the throttles aft. She noted that all three landing gear lights in the cockpit were illuminated green in indication that landing gear was in a down and locked position. She confirmed this configuration visually by looking at the reflection of the extended landing gear in a small mirror located on the wing. Upon touchdown, the main landing gear made contact with the runway and the student pilot began to reach for the landing gear handle thinking that it was the flap handle. The CFI waved her hand to block him and told him "no." The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid on the nose. After the airplane came to rest the CFI noted that the landing gear handle was in the "down" position. The student pilot stated that he did not touch the landing gear handle.

A mechanic repairing the airplane reported that the landing gear and linkages were all intact with no anomalies noted. The actuator was not tested due to the extent of the damage. The airplane incurred damage to a rib in the nose.

Aircraft

Registration
N8154H
Reported as
Piper PA-44-180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
44-8107001
Engine
Lycoming TO-360-EIA6D, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
North Aire, Inc.
Registered owner
J & J Aircraft Leasing
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
PRC · Prescott, AZ
Airport
PRC · Ernest A. Love Field Airport, runway 21L, 7,550 × 150 ft, asphalt

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
24
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1
Flight hours
577 total · 51 in this make and model · 95 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days
Role
Student pilot
Age
24
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 1
Flight hours
87 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None

FAA reports on this event · 1

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