Piper PA-32R-300 N4352F

Summary

On 22 September 2001 at about 01:30 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N4352F, operated by Tanana Air Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Tanana, Alaska, 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

22 September 2001 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tanana, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Tanana (PATA)

Coordinates

65.1794, -152.0989

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N4352F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Tanana Air Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Tanana

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01LA145

Nobody was injured.

An unlocked landing gear mechanism during landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was an electrical system failure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated commerical pilot was about 26 miles from his destination airport when be began to note telltale signs of an electrical failure. The airplane's instrument panel-mounted ammeter indicated zero, and the pilot shut off all of the airplane's electrical equipment. When he arrived at the destination airport, he placed the landing gear extension handle in the down position, but the gear failed to extend, and the gear down lights did not illuminate. The pilot followed the flight manual procedures for an emergency gear extension by slowing the airplane to 87 knots, holding the landing emergency gear lever in the "EMERGENCY DOWN position, while fish-tailing the airplane. In an attempt to determine if the landing gear was down, he checked the airplane's shadow and noted that the gear appeared to be down. During touchdown the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the surface of the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the voltage regulator failed, which subsequently led to the loss of electrical power. The accident airplane is equipped with a retractable tricycle landing gear, which is hydraulically actuated by an electrically powered reversible pump. Use of the emergency extension handle manually releases hydraulic pressure, allowing the landing gear to free fall, to the down position. In the case of a complete electrical failure, the landing gear down lights will not illuminate.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.