SEA03LA174

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-200R · Nampa, ID · August 20, 2003

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 20, 2003, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
Place
Nampa, ID
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4816TPiper PA-28-200R
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 2, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA-FSDO
FAA report
20030820020319A
Case key
57742

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

Landing gear collapse for undetermined reasons during the landing roll. On ground collision with a runway light was a factor.

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.

Gear collapsedLanding - roll
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - runway lightFactor

Analysis

The pilot reported that he verified that he had a three green indication for the landing gear prior to touch down. During the landing roll, and having decelerated to about 10 miles per hour, the right main landing gear began to collapse. As the aircraft departed the right side of the runway, it impacted a runway light. The nose gear collapsed and the propeller struck the ground. During a post-accident inspection of the landing gear system, no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found.

Factual narrative

On August 20, 2003, approximately 1230 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-200R, N4816T, registered to and being flown by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a gear collapse on landing roll at Nampa, Idaho. The pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Kemmerer, Wyoming, approximately 0950 on the morning of the accident.

The pilot reported that prior to executing an approach and landing to runway 29, he verified that he had a three green indication for the landing gear being down and locked. While rolling out on the 5,000 foot long asphalt runway and having decelerated to about 10 miles per hour, the right main landing gear began to collapse. As the aircraft departed the right side of the runway it impacted a runway light. The nose gear collapsed and the propeller struck the ground.

An airframe and powerplant mechanic removed the aircraft from the accident site to the facility of Skyline Aircraft Maintenance, Nampa, Idaho. The mechanic reported that a retraction test was accomplished to the aircraft's gear system. The aircraft's landing gear was cycled using an electric power pack and Piper's automatic free-fall system. During the retraction tests, the aircraft's landing gear down-locks and micro switches were found set within manufacturer's limits. The mechanic further stated that in his opinion, "all areas of the landing gear system were in an airworthy condition and functioning properly."

Aircraft

Registration
N4816T
Reported as
Piper PA-28-200R
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28R-7235114
Airframe hours
5,330
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-C7C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Welter, Steven A.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 1, 2003 · 45 hours before
Departed
EMM · Kemmerer, WY
Destination
S67 · Nampa, ID
Airport
S67 · Nampa Municipal Airport, runway 29, 5,000 × 75 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
51
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
July 3, 2002
Seat
Left
Flight hours
253 total · 179 in this make and model · 253 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
EUL, 6 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.