Piper PA-24-250 N6661P

Summary

On 1 December 1997 at about 00:42 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6661P was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 December 1997 at 00:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Lubbock International (LBB)

Coordinates

33.5908, -101.8503

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6661P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Antonio → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA060

2 people had minor injuries.

The inadequate maintenance of the landing gear assembly by maintenance personnel resulting in a partial gear extension, and the pilot's misjudgment of a proper touchdown point to intentionally shut down the engine resulting in the airplane landing short of the runway. A factor was the soft terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the initial takeoff departure climb, the gear would not retract and the pilot returned to the airport where a mechanic examined the gear, serviced the struts, and performed a retraction test (gear were extended and retracted 3 consecutive times). Subsequently, the flight departed on the cross country flight with a planned refueling stop. During the approach, the gear would not extend. The pilot maneuvered in the area and performed the emergency gear extension procedures; however, the gear would not go beyond 1/2 extension. During the final approach to the runway, the pilot shut down the engine and the airplane landed short of the runway. The FAA inspector and a mechanic found that the 'slide tubes on the main gear had accumulated a lot of dirt causing some binding on their normal operation. This binding consistently caused the gear electric motor circuit breaker to pop.' The gear could be extended manually by the FAA inspector and the mechanic. Flight time since the last annual inspection was 57 hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.