Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary NYC04LA086

Kutztown, PA, USA

Aircraft #1

N5406P

Piper PA-24-250

Analysis

During the rollout after landing, the pilot turned off the landing lights, turned off the fuel pump, and after raising the flaps, the landing gear retracted and the airplane settled on to the ground. The pilot did not recall if he raised the landing gear selector lever, and did not check its position after the accident. After the accident, the pilot had the airplane removed from the runway and placed into a hangar, where it was discovered about 3 months later by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector conducting routine surveillance at the airport.

Factual Information

On November 25, 2003, about 1600 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N5406P, was substantially damaged while landing at the Kutztown Airport (N31), Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, after landing on runway 28, a 2,221-foot long asphalt runway, during the rollout, he turned off the landing lights, turned off the fuel pump, and after raising the flaps, the landing gear retracted and the airplane settled on to the ground. The pilot did not recall if he raised the landing gear selector lever, and did not check its position after the accident. After the accident, the pilot had the airplane removed from the runway and placed into a hangar, where it was discovered about 3 months later by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector conducting routine surveillance at the airport. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadvertent retraction of the landing gear on the ground.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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