ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed SP-2H Neptune N355MA Minden-Tahoe Airport, NV (MEV)
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Status:5
Date:Sunday 3 June 2012
Time:13:50
Type:Silhouette image of generic P2 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Lockheed SP-2H Neptune
Operator:Minden Air Corporation
Registration: N355MA
MSN: 726-7229
First flight: 1957
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Minor
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Minden-Tahoe Airport, NV (MEV) (   United States of America)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Fire fighting
Departure airport:Porterville Airport, CA (PTV/KPTV), United States of America
Destination airport:Porterville Airport, CA (PTV/KPTV), United States of America
Narrative:
The crew of a firefighting Lockheed SP-2H Neptune (Air Tanker mod.) N355MA, "Tanker 55", reported it was unable to lower its left main landing gear and force landed at Minden-Tahoe Airport, in western Nevada. That crew had been helping with efforts to fight the George Fire within the Giant Sequoia National Monument in California. When on approach to Porterville, California, the main landing gear showed unsafe on port side. The pilot aborted the landing and climbed above pattern altitude where the landing gear was cycled again with same results. The left gear would not extend. A decision was made to return to the company’s base at Minden-Tahoe Airport where contact was made with operations and maintenance personnel. After all emergency procedures and maintenance ideas were exhausted the pilot executed an emergency landing on runway 16 with main the left gear still in the up position. The nose and starboard gear were down and locked. After touchdown and bleeding off airspeed, the aircraft settled on the port jet pod and sustained left engine propeller strikes. As the aircraft came to a stop, the left jet pod pylon broke off, while being sideloaded from a side motion skid. There is no apparent damage to the wing structure or pylon attach points. Pilot and co-pilot exited the aircraft with no injuries.

Classification:
Gear-up landing
Forced landing on runway

Sources:
» FAA


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This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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