- 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.
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.