- Date
- November 8, 1999, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Olive Branch, MS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N56676Piper PA-34-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991108039169A
- Case key
- 47725
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 private-rated student pilots inadvertent retraction of the main landing gear during a touch-and-go landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructors improper supervision of the dual student.
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 CFI and private -rated student pilot were conducting touch-and-go landings. After touch down the dual student retracted the flaps and reached for the landing gear instead of the throttles. The CFI yelled 'no', the dual student released the landing gear handle and added full power. The right main landing gear retracted, the airplane yawed to the right and stopped in the grass.
Factual narrative
On November 8, 1999, at about 0915 central standard time, a Piper PA-34-200, N56676, registered to Two Papa Delta Inc., operated by Douglas Aviation, as a 14 CFR Part 141 instructional flight, experience a collapse of the right main landing gear on takeoff from Olive Branch Airport, Olive Branch, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot flight instructor (CFI) and private-rated student pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The CFI and rated student pilot stated they were conducting a touch-and-go landing to runway 18. The rated student pilot was flying the airplane. After touch down, the rated student pilot retracted the flaps and reached for the landing gear instead of the throttles. The CFI yelled "no" and the student pilot released the handle and added full power. The CFI stated, "I tried to drive the plane off the ground but was unsuccessful in my attempt." The right main landing gear retracted, the airplane yawed to the right and stopped in the grass.
An operational check of the landing gear system was conducted and no deficiencies were noted. The landing gear operated normally in both the up and down cycles.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56676
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-7450020
- Airframe hours
- 6,320
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1E6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Douglas Aviation
- Registered owner
- Two Papa Delta Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 6, 1999 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- OLV
- Airport
- OLV · Olive Branch, runway 18, 6,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 140 total · 12 in this make and model · 80 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 18 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.
Other investigations on N56676 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.