Piper PA-24-250 N980AC

Summary

On 8 September 1999 at about 18:17 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N980AC was involved in an accident near Naples, Florida, 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

8 September 1999 at 18:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Naples, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Naples Municipal (APF)

Coordinates

26.1494, -81.7408

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N980AC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marathon → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99LA265

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to perform manual gear extension procedures with a suspected unsafe landing gear indication which resulted in a collapse of the main landing gear on landing rollout. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in kind of aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot completed a before landing check and lowered the landing gear. She did not observe a green light and recycled the landing gear with negative results. She contacted the control tower and was advised that a medical evacuation aircraft was close by. The medical evacuation pilot and the control tower subsequently advised the pilot that the landing gear appeared to be down. The pilot did not perform the manual gear extension procedures listed in the checklist and continued with the landing. During landing rollout the landing gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed the navigation lights were on. When the navigation light were turned off, the landing gear indicator light went to the full bright position. When the navigation lights were turned 'on,' the landing gear light would dim for night operation. The airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was extended using the manual gear extension. A functional check of the landing gear warning horn and light system was completed with negative results. The pilot received a 1.2 hour check out in the airplane before the accident flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.