# NTSB WPR11LA108: Piper PA-28-201T, N47589, Santa Ana, CA, January 21, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 21, 2011, 13:57 local (21:57 UTC) - Place: Santa Ana, CA - Coordinates: 33.67889, -117.864997 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6789&lon=-117.8650&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Piper Aircraft, Inc, FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 78220 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11LA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78220/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78220 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA108 ## Probable cause The failure of the left main landing gear due to the lack of lubrication. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Maintenance/inspections: scheduled maint checks](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010520): Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service · Not serviced/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010520/cases.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010520/cases.md) - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, when he put the landing gear down, he did not receive an indication in the cockpit that the nosewheel was engaged. He recycled the landing gear but still did not receive an indication that the gear was engaged. He then flew by the air traffic control tower and the controller reported that the landing gear appeared to be down; however, on the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that components of the main landing gear retraction system lacked recent lubrication. The grease fittings on the components had been painted over, and there was no evidence of grease on the movable parts. The landing gear’s ball joints and movable surfaces all appeared to be dry. The lack of lubrication prevented the left main landing gear from locking in the down position, resulting in its collapse during the landing roll. ## Factual narrative On January 21, 2011, at 1357 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, N47589, sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear collapsed during landing roll at John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana, California. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Mesquite, Nevada, about 1150. A flight plan had not been filed. The pilot said that when he put the landing gear down, the nose wheel indicated unsafe. He recycled the landing gear and it still indicated unsafe. He flew by the air traffic control tower and the controller reported that it looked like the landing gear was down. However, on landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. The left aileron sustained substantial damage. A Piper manufacturer’s representative and two Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the airplane on February 1, 2011. They found that components of the main landing gear retraction system lacked recent lubrication. Several retraction components utilize grease fittings to apply proper lubrication of movable gear components. The grease fittings on the airplane’s main landing gear had been painted over, and there was no evidence of grease on the movable parts. The landing gear’s ball joints and movable surfaces all appeared dry. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N47589](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N47589), registered now, S/N 28R-7703404, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-201T - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201t) (registry code 7102813) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7703404 - Airframe hours: 2301 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-FB 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Employ/Ease Inc. - Registered owner: Employ/Ease Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2010 - Departed: 67L, Mesquite, NV - Destination: SNA, Santa Ana, CA - Airport: SNA, John Wayne, runway 19L, 2,887 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 10, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 2,643 total, 500 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: SNA ## 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 20110121001939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110121001939A), Jan 21, 2011: Piper PA-28R-201T, Santa Ana, CA, Substantial damage. 01/21/2011, 1337 PST, N47589, a Piper aircraft PA-28R, while on final approach to ksna, pilot stated only main gear indicated down, nose gear still indicated… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78220. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 521 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355239&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Permission to use Field Notes in Docket (item 2, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355246&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Permission%20to%20use%20Field%20Notes%20in%20Docket-Redacted.PDF - Piper Field Notes (item 3, .PDF, 481 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355247&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Piper%20Field%20Notes-Master.PDF 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.