# NTSB WPR19LA220: Piper PA 30, N10KC, Phoenix, AZ, August 8, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 8, 2019, 08:45 local (15:45 UTC) - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Coordinates: 33.314998, -111.658058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3150&lon=-111.6581&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 100058 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19LA220 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100058/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100058 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA220 ## Probable cause The failure of the landing gear due to the nose gear being positioned to the far right during retraction, which caused the nose gear to jam upon retraction. ## 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-30, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded; cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) ## Analysis During an instructional flight practicing a single-engine approach and go-around, the flight instructor and student pilot noticed that the landing gear would not fully retract. In addition, the landing gear circuit breaker was in the open position. The flight instructor reset the circuit breaker and attempted to cycle the landing gear but was unsuccessful because the circuit breaker popped back to the open position on each cycle attempt. Attempts to manually extend the landing gear were unsuccessful. Subsequently, the flight instructor elected to land with the landing gear intentionally in the retracted position, resulting to substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the nose gear was positioned to the far right turn position when the pilots attempted to retract the nose gear while practicing a single engine out landing and takeoff. Therefore, the centering mechanism was not able to center the nose gear, resulting in a jammed nose gear, which also likely tripped the circuit breaker. ## Factual narrative On August 8, 2019, about 0845 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-30 airplane, N10KC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that, after completing a single engine approach and go around, he noticed that the landing gear would not fully retract. He added that, the landing gear circuit breaker was in the open position. The flight instructor reset the circuit breaker and attempted to cycle the landing gear but was unsuccessful, as every time the circuit breaker was reset, it would pop back to the open position again when the gear was cycled. He then attempted to manually extend the landing gear using the gear extension handle, which was also unsuccessful. Subsequently, he elected to land with the landing gear intentionally retracted. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the lower fuselage caused by abrasion damage to the underlying structure. Two longitudinal keel beams sustained abrasive damage. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane, he reported that when the nose gear was retracted, the centering mechanism was not able to center the nose gear, jammed, and prevented the nose gear from retracting. A mark was observed on the top of the nose gear fluted centering guide attached to the strut that was consistent with the nose gear being positioned to the far right. Once the nose gear landing assembly was positioned back to the normal position, no anomalies were noted during landing gear extension and retraction. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N10KC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N10KC-2021-11-24), registration cancelled 2021-11-24, S/N 30-309 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA 30 (No Series) - Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30-309 - Year built: 1964 - Airframe hours: 2449.9 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 20, 2019 - Departed: FFZ, Mesa, AZ - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: IWA, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, runway 12L, 9,300 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 31, 2019; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 32,400 total, 28 in this make and model, 29,900 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 26; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 28, 2019; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 503 total, 10 in this make and model, 389 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KIWA, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KIWA 081555Z 15004KT 10SM FEW120 BKN250 33/17 A2992 RMK ACFT MSHP ## 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 20190808015799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190808015799A), Aug 8, 2019: Piper PA-30, Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. Pilot [privacy data omitted] departed falcon field airport (kffz) at 0710 local for communication and multi-engine training flight with a student pilot. During… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100058. 6.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13069981&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13069097&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Rel.pdf - Record of email (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13069652&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Email%20WPR19LA220-Rel.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.