Piper PA-23-250 N1AU

Summary

On 5 June 1982 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N1AU, operated by Auburn University Aviation, was involved in an accident near Auburn, Alabama, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

5 June 1982 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Robert G. Pitts (AUO)

Coordinates

32.5892, -85.4805

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N1AU

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Auburn University Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Auburn → Auburn

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL82DA156

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ON A DOWNWIND FOR A LANDING IN MULTI-ENGINE TRAINING, THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. ALL EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR, INCLUDING A BOUNCED LANDING, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCREW INTENDED TO LAND ON THE MAIN GEAR AND THEN HOLD THE NOSE OFF UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED. THE MULTI-ENGINE INSTRUCTOR (IP), WHO OCCUPIED THE RIGHT SEAT, ESTABLISHED THE AIRCRAFT ON A STRAIGHT-IN FINAL APPROACH WITH 1/2 FLAPS AND ZERO THRUST (10 IN HG) ON BOTH ENGINES. WHILE STILL AIRBORNE, THE IP COMMANDED THE STUDENT (A SINGLE-ENGINE IP) TO FEATHER BOTH PROPELLERS AND SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES. IMMEDIATELY THE RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED AND THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON AN EMBANKMENT ABOUT 45 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLANE BOUNCED, AND AFTER A SECOND TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE CONTACTED THE RUNWAY ABOUT 55 FT BEYOND THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A ROCKING NUT WHICH RETAINED THE NOSEWHEEL, WAS MISSING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD UNDERGONE A 100 HR INSPECTION ABOUT 8 HOURS PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.