Piper PA-44-180 N39776

Summary

On 18 September 1998 at about 12:31 local time, a Piper PA-44-180 registered N39776 was involved in an accident near Titusville, Florida, United States. One person was 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

18 September 1998 at 12:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Titusville, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Space Coast Regional (TIX)

Coordinates

28.5792, -80.8207

Aircraft

Piper PA-44-180

Registration

N39776

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA98LA248

Nobody was injured.

The collapse of the right main landing gear for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to execute the emergency gear extension procedure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The landing gear hydraulic pump was replaced and reportedly checked satisfactory during annual inspection signed off 1 day earlier. The flight departed and after reportedly lowering the landing gear selector handle, the landing gear down and locked lights did not illuminate. The pilot cycled the navigation light switch, flew by the tower and was advised the gear appeared down and locked. He retracted the gear, reentered the traffic pattern, and again lowered the gear handle, but again, there were no down and locked lights from the landing gears nor a gear unsafe light. The pilot landed the airplane and reportedly after touchdown, the left main landing gear began to collapse. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway into grass and came to rest with the left and nose landing gears down and locked; the right main landing gear was collapsed. Post accident testing of the left main landing gear revealed no evidence of failure or malfunction; the down and locked light illuminated. The hydraulic pump was removed, bench tested, and found to operate normally. Testing of hydraulic fluid revealed it was contaminated beyond allowable limits. There was no requirement by the airplane manufacturer to replace the hydraulic fluid. The pilot reported that he did not utilize the emergency gear extension.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.