MONTAGUE, CA, USA
N550V
PIPER PA-24
THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE REPLACEMENT ON THE LANDING GEAR TRANSMISSION AND MAINTENANCE ON THE GEAR SYSTEM. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RAISED FROM THE RUNWAY, THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED MANUALLY. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE GEAR MOTOR WAS BINDING BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND GEAR MOTOR. THIS AIRPLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL EXTENSION SYSTEM THAT ALSO SERVES AS A SECONDARY GEAR POSITION INDICATOR. IF THE LANDING GEAR IS MOVING BY ELECTRICAL ACTUATION, THE MANUAL EXTENSION SYSTEM IS ALSO MOVING AT THE SAME TIME.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR BECAUSE OF INATTENTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH FAILED TO REPAIR THE LANDING GEAR WARNING THROTTLE POSITION SWITCH.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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