Piper PA-24-250 N6744P

Summary

On 30 March 2006 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6744P was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lake, 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

30 March 2006 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mammoth Lake, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mammoth Lakes (KMMH)

Coordinates

37.6239, -118.8378

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6744P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Diego → Mammoth Lake

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA041

Nobody was injured.

The collapse of the right main landing gear during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and an on-ground encounter with a snowbank. A factor associated with the accident was other maintenance personnel's inadequate inspection of the landing gear system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was conducting a cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot said when he arrived at his destination airport, he did not get a green down and locked light for the landing gear, and elected to go-around. He said he cycled the landing gear up and down twice, saw the green down and locked light both times, and proceeded to land. He reported that upon touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway and struck a snowbank. The pilot stated that there were no known preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by an independent aviation mechanic hired to repair the airplane, disclosed that the main landing gear maintenance did not appear to be in compliance with an applicable FAA airworthiness directive (AD), AD 77-13-21, Amendment 39-3093, effective December 16, 1977. That AD defines the actions/inspections necessary to maintain the landing gear in an airworthy condition, and to preclude a malfunction or collapse. A review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks indicated only partial compliance with the AD. The aviation mechanic repairing the airplane said that numerous landing gear components were worn well beyond the limits set forth in the AD and associated service letter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.