WPR22LA180

According to the pilot, he was approaching the airport to land when a departing helicopter reported deer near the runway. The pilot stated that he turned on the landing lights, lowered the landing gear, and flew the approach. He did not see any deer activity and proceeded to land. Upon landing, the airplane began to shake, and the airplane stopped on the runway. The airplane came to rest on its belly and with the main landing gear partially extended. The nose gear was not visible due to the airplane’s resting position on the runway. The landing gear switch was found in the down position, and the gear motor circuit breaker was found popped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the skins, frames, and stringers on the belly of the fuselage. During postaccident examination of the airplane, the popped gear motor circuit breaker was reset, and the landing gear was cycled up and down successfully using airplane power. No anomalies were noted with the landing gear system. Examination of the underside of the airplane revealed no damage to the main landing gear, wheels, or main gear doors. Examination of the nose gear showed abrasion damage to the face of the nose gear doors. The lack of damage to the main landing gear assemblies and the damage to the face of the nose gear doors was consistent with the gear being in the up position when the airplane touched down on the runway. Even though the pilot stated that he lowered the gear on approach, the evidence is consistent with the pilot failing to lower the gear on approach likely due to distraction from the report of deer near the runway. The gear motor circuit breaker popped because the landing gear switch was likely moved to the down position sometime after the airplane touched down while movement of the landing gear was restricted.

On April 15, 2022, about 0530 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-24-400 airplane, N8493P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Benson Municipal Airport (E95), Benson, Arizona. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was as operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he was approaching E95 to land when a departing helicopter reported deer near the runway. The pilot stated that he “turned on the landing lights, dropped the gear and started [his] approach to runway 10.” He did not see any deer activity and proceeded to land. Upon landing, the airplane began to shake and then stopped with its belly on the runway and the main landing gear partially extended. The nose gear was not visible due to the airplane’s resting position on the runway. According to personnel who recovered the airplane, the landing gear switch was in the down position at recovery. When the airplane was lifted off the runway, the landing gear remained in a partially extended position and did not operate when power was applied to the airplane and the landing gear switch was manipulated. The landing gear was subsequently lowered and locked into position when the emergency gear system was used. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the skins, frames, and stringers on the belly of the fuselage. During a postaccident examination, the airplane was placed on jack stands for an operational check of the landing gear system. The landing gear motor circuit breaker was found popped. The circuit breaker was reset, and the landing gear was subsequently cycled multiple times, with the landing gear being raised and lowered using the airplane’s electrical power and the landing gear switch. The gear position indicator lights operated normally when the gear changed positions. No damage was noted to the main landing gear wheels or gear doors or the nosewheel. Abrasion damage was noted to the face of both nose gear doors, consistent with the doors being closed during landing. The landing gear was extended to about the position that was observed during recovery. Both the nosewheel and nose gear doors extended about 5 inches below the fuselage. No preimpact anomalies were noted during the examination that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear.