Ackland Jeffrey Dean SH 3R N333AW

Summary

On 3 September 2014 at about 16:01 local time, a Ackland Jeffrey Dean SH 3R registered N333AW was involved in an accident near Columbus, Georgia, 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

3 September 2014 at 16:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbus, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Columbus Airport (CSG)

Coordinates

32.5164, -84.9389

Aircraft

Ackland Jeffrey Dean SH 3R

Registration

N333AW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1990

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbus → Crestview

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14LA422

Nobody was injured.

The mechanic’s improper installation of the landing gear extend/retract switch, which resulted in the retraction of the landing gear during the aborted takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was returning the airplane to his home base following an avionics installation. During the takeoff roll, about 80 knots, the canopy handle vibrated to the open position, and the canopy opened. As the pilot was rejecting the takeoff, the landing gear retracted. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane departed the runway; the left wing struck a taxiway sign, resulting in structural damage. Examination of the aircraft after the accident revealed that the landing gear extend/retract switch was installed upside-down in the newly-replaced instrument panel. The switch was in the "retract" position during preflight and takeoff; however, the safety squat switch on the landing gear prevented gear retraction while on the ground. Once weight was removed from the landing gear during the takeoff sequence, the switch commanded the landing gear to retract. The mechanic who installed the instrument panel did not perform a functional gear check (gear swing) prior to releasing the airplane to the owner.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.