Piper PA 32R-300 N4352F

Summary

On 21 November 2016 at about 01:57 local time, a Piper PA 32R-300 registered N4352F, operated by Bidzy TA HOT Aana Corp, was involved in an accident near McGrath, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 November 2016 at 01:57

Classification

Accident

Location

McGrath, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Mc Grath (MCG)

Coordinates

62.9528, -155.6056

Aircraft

Piper PA 32R-300

Registration

N4352F

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Bidzy TA HOT Aana Corp

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shageluk → Nikolai

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC17LA014

1 person was seriously injured.

The failure of the nose landing gear to extend and lock due to the failure of the alternator and reduced battery power due to the cold ambient temperature, which prohibited the electrically-driven hydraulic pump from supplying adequate hydraulic pressure to extend the nose landing gear. The cause of the left main landing gear collapse could not be determined, as there were no postaccident anomalies or malfunctions found when the landing gear was actuated following replacement of the alternator and battery.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The on-demand passenger flight was approaching its destination airport when the commercial pilot noted that the two main landing gear extended, but the nose landing gear did not extend and lock. The pilot diverted to a larger airport, where ground personnel verified that the nose landing gear was not down and locked even after the pilot completed the manual gear extension procedure. The pilot elected to land the airplane with the engine off, and he stated that the touchdown was uneventful. He held the airplane's nose off the runway for several hundred feet; the left main landing gear then collapsed and the nose wheel extended. The airplane slid about 200 ft before coming to rest. A witness reported that the touchdown was smooth and when the left main landing gear collapsed, the airplane gradually slowed to a stop on the runway. An examination of the airplane revealed that the alternator became inoperative during the flight, and, due to the cold temperatures, the battery was unable to accommodate the electrical load required by the system. In addition, the grease on the nosewheel was thick, which, combined with the cold temperatures, can increase its viscosity and reduce its effectiveness. Because the nose landing gear extends into the relative wind direction, it would be more difficult for it to extend and lock with the low battery power and increased viscosity of the grease. Further, because the landing gear was not in the "up" position when the emergency extension control was activated, the hydraulic fluid had already been released, thus rendering the emergency procedure ineffective. After landing and with a reduction in the relative wind, the gear was able to lock in place; however, the reason for the collapse of the left main landing gear could not be determined. When the alternator and battery were replaced, the airplane was placed on jacks and all three landing gear actuated as designed. A review of the passenger's injuries revealed that the fracture of the transverse process of L2 vertebrae was "age-indeterminate," which means that it could not be definitively determined when the injury occurred.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.