Piper PA-3O N752CF
23 September 1990 · Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 23 September 1990 at about 15:46 local time, a Piper PA-3O registered N752CF was involved in an incident near Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:46
- Classification
- Incident
- Location
- Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States
- Nearest airport
- Cape Girardeau Muni (GGI)
- Coordinates
- 38.8795, -90.0998
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-3O
- Registration
- N752CF
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Alton → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI90GA273
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION LINKAGE. A FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS UNRELIABILITY OF THE GEAR INDICATING SYSTEM.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT STATES HE OBTAINED NO GEAR MOVEMENT ON SELECTING GEAR DOWN. WHEN THE SWITCH WAS RECYCLED, THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED BUT THE GEAR DOWN INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. TOWER REPORTED THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. THE PILOT THEN USED MANUAL EXTENSION TO LOWER THE GEAR AND REPORTS HE OBTAINED A DOWN LOCKED LIGHT. THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. EXAMINATION REVEALED EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR LINKAGE. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR EXTENDED BUT WOULD NOT ACHIEVE OVER-CENTER IN THE DOWN POSITION USING MANUAL EXTENSION. A WIRE TO THE LEFT GEAR DOWN SWITCH WAS BROKEN WITHIN ITS INSULATION; IN AN AREA WHERE THE WIRE FLEXES AS THE GEAR CYCLES. LATER PRODUCTION AIRPLANES INCLUDE A LANDING GEAR DOWN SAFETY DEVICE TO MECHANICALLY LOCK THE GEAR DOWN WHEN EXTENDED MANUALLY. THE DEVICE MAY BE FITTED TO EARLIER AIRPLANES, AND ITS AVAILABILITY WAS ANNOUNCED IN 1973 IN A SERVICE SPARES LETTER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 1990 | Piper PA-31-350 | Bois D'arc, Missouri, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 May 1990 | Beechcraft A35 | Washington, Missouri, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 1990 | Bell 206A | Lake Ozark, Missouri, United States | Ozark Helicopter | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jan 1990 | Cessna 152 | St Charles, Missouri, United States | Morgan E. August | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jan 1990 | Cessna 150H | Hornersville, Missouri, United States | Rouse, TED | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Jan 1990 | Cessna 172 | Dexter, Missouri, United States | Crowley Ridge Fliers Inc. | Minor injuries | - |