Piper PA-28 N3255R

Summary

On 27 August 1990 at about 23:12 local time, a Piper PA-28 registered N3255R, operated by Hawkins, Perry, was involved in an accident near Indian Trail, North Carolina, 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

27 August 1990 at 23:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Indian Trail, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Goose Creek (28A)

Coordinates

35.0692, -80.6708

Aircraft

Piper PA-28

Registration

N3255R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hawkins, Perry

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monroe → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90LA166

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO HAVE THE LANDING GEAR INSPECTED AFTER EXPERIENCING UNSAFE GEAR INDICATIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING SEVERAL FLIGHTS THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED LANDING GEAR INDICATOR PROBLEMS; HOWEVER, THERE HAD NOT BEEN A GEAR FAILURE. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT AGAIN EXPERIENCED AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND AS THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OUT, THE LEFT GEAR RETRACTED AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE OVER-CENTER LOCK WAS UNLOCKED. THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THIS FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE RUNWAY CONDITION WAS DESCRIBED AS ROUGH WITH SEVERAL POTHOLES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR MAY INADVERTENTLY RETRACT DURING OPERATION ON ROUGH TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.