Piper PA-24-250 N7737P

Summary

On 9 April 2005 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7737P was involved in an accident near California City, California, 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

9 April 2005 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

California City, California, United States

Nearest airport

California City Municipal Arpt (L71)

Coordinates

35.1522, -118.0167

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7737P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Havasu → Porterville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05LA206

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the normal landing gear system to extend for undetermined reasons that resulted in a gear collapse during landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The gear collapsed on landing. En route, the pilot encountered turbulence, and climbed to 10,500 feet. As he crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he observed an overcast layer over the San Joaquin Valley. He did not have an instrument rating and decided to divert back across the mountains to the airport where the accident occurred. During the descent, he encountered very heavy turbulence. On downwind, he selected the landing gear down, but it failed to extend, giving neither an up-or-down indication on the position lights. He observed the landing gear circuit breaker had popped out, and attempted to reset it, but it would immediately pop back out. He then activated the emergency gear extension system. In his report of the accident he stated, "I pulled on the handle and felt it was locked." On approach, the pilot experienced strong crosswinds and turbulence, and just after touchdown, the landing the gear collapsed. The airplane skidded approximately 200 feet along the runway. The reason for the failure of the landing gear system to extend normally was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.