Piper PA-31-350 N62869

Summary

On 30 May 1990 at about 02:25 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N62869, operated by Pullen Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 May 1990 at 02:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Plainfield, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Clow International (1C5)

Coordinates

41.6090, -88.2008

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N62869

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Pullen Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sikeston → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI90LA141

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO INSURE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND LOCKED PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DISTRACTED FROM HIS NORMAL PROCEDURES/CHECKLISTS, WHILE IN THE VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, AND THAT HE FAILED TO INSURE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND LOCKED BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED WITH MAKING A DECENT LANDING FROM A 'STEEPER-THAN-NORMAL' APPROACH AT AN UNFAMILIAR AIRPORT IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS. HE HAD MOVED THE GEAR SELECT HANDLE DOWN, BUT NOT FAR ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE GEAR EXTEND MECHANISM. HE STATED THAT HE NEVER LOOKED FOR THREE GREEN LIGHTS (TO VERIFY THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED) UNTIL HE HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN. THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN WAS FOUND TO OPERATE INTERMITENTLY DUE TO DIRTY CONTACT POINTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.