Piper PA-30 N7743Y

Summary

On 17 February 2006 at about 21:10 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N7743Y was involved in an accident near Greeley, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 2006 at 21:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Greeley, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Greeley-Weld County (GXY)

Coordinates

40.4375, -104.6331

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N7743Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sioux City → Greeley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN06LA041

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's flight into adverse weather conditions, the airframe ice, and the wheels up landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the icing conditions, the frozen landing gear, the frozen alternate gear extension system, and the runway sign.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was cleared for the ILS approach to runway 34 (10,000 feet by 100 feet, dry asphalt) and was instructed to change radio frequency to the airport UNICOM. The pilot performed a missed approach, contacted approach control and informed them that he was executing a missed approach for a "no gear indication." The airplane subsequently circled over the airport in an attempt to get the landing gear to come down. Finally, the pilot performed a wheels up landing. During the landing, the airplane's right wing struck a runway sign. The pilot said that about half way to their destination, they heard something vibrate. After 5 minutes the vibration stopped. The pilot said the vibration occurred again later. On the ILS approach, the pilot said the wheels failed to come down. "I advised approach control and said I intended to circle the field and extend the landing gear manually." The pilot said he "was not successful lowering the wheels. They wouldn't budge." The pilot said that airport personnel requested he continue to circle until emergency equipment was in place. "I did, and continued trying to lower the wheels. When the airport people were ready, we landed with the wheels up." The pilot said the temperature en route was "about minus 5 [degrees]." Responders to the airplane reported that it was covered with ice that measured approximately 3/4 inch thick. An examination of the airplane's systems showed no anomalies. The weather at the airport was reported as ceilings 400 broken, 5,500 broken, 7,500 overcast, 1-1/2 mile visibility, temperature 2 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point -2 degrees F, winds 040 at 16 knots, and altimeter 30.32 inches.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.