Accident Piper PA-24-250 N6661P,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 354977
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Sunday 30 November 1997
Time:19:42 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-24-250
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N6661P
MSN: 24-1784
Year of manufacture:1960
Total airframe hrs:5151 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-540-A1C5
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Lubbock, TX -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:San Antonio, TX (KSAT)
Destination airport:(KLBB)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
During the initial takeoff departure climb, the gear would not retract and the pilot returned to the airport where a mechanic examined the gear, serviced the struts, and performed a retraction test (gear were extended and retracted 3 consecutive times). Subsequently, the flight departed on the cross country flight with a planned refueling stop. During the approach, the gear would not extend. The pilot maneuvered in the area and performed the emergency gear extension procedures; however, the gear would not go beyond 1/2 extension. During the final approach to the runway, the pilot shut down the engine and the airplane landed short of the runway. The FAA inspector and a mechanic found that the 'slide tubes on the main gear had accumulated a lot of dirt causing some binding on their normal operation. This binding consistently caused the gear electric motor circuit breaker to pop.' The gear could be extended manually by the FAA inspector and the mechanic. Flight time since the last annual inspection was 57 hours.

Probable Cause: The inadequate maintenance of the landing gear assembly by maintenance personnel resulting in a partial gear extension, and the pilot's misjudgment of a proper touchdown point to intentionally shut down the engine resulting in the airplane landing short of the runway. A factor was the soft terrain.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: FTW98LA060
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 11 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB FTW98LA060

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
12-Mar-2024 06:38 ASN Update Bot Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org