Piper PA-28R-180 N70SR

Summary

On 7 October 2006 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N70SR, operated by Milton Perry Sheppard, was involved in an accident near Alabaster, Alabama, 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

7 October 2006 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Alabaster, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Shelby County Airport (KEET)

Coordinates

33.1728, -86.7764

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N70SR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Milton Perry Sheppard

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alabaster → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL07LA004

Nobody was injured.

The jammed landing gear hydraulic motor shuttle valve.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he was practicing in preparation for his commercial pilot certificate. On the initial takeoff, after raising the gear, the pilot noticed the gear in-transit light remained on. The pilot pulled the landing gear pump circuit breaker. When he reset the breaker, he did not see a movement on the amp meter. He said this was an indication that the pump was not running. Although the in-transit light remained on, the pilot stated that the gear was up and locked. The pilot continued on to the practice area to do some air work, then he returned to the airport to do some touch-and-go landings. The pilot stated that on the first landing the gear went down normally and he had three green lights. On the takeoff he said the gear would not go up and lock. He cycled the gear handle several times. The pilot stated he had three green lights and the gear in-transit light was still on. The pilot stated the light was on for the entire flight. He said that he made a normal touchdown, and the right main gear collapsed veering the airplane to the right, off the runway. Examination of the airplane by an FAA Inspector found the nose and right main landing gear collapsed and structural damage to the wing ribs at the right main landing gear attach point. The airplane was placed in a hangar and jacked up for a retraction test. The gear handle was placed in the up position and the gear raised normally and the in-transit light was not on when the gear was up and locked. When the gear handle was placed in the down position the hydraulic pump operated but the gear did not extend. The landing gear remained up and locked. Striking the pump with a hammer freed the shuttle valve and the gear operated normally. According to the FAA Inspector the gear would not extend normally without striking the shuttle valve with a hammer.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.