Finally, an incident that I didn't see!

[SkyHog]

I hate to celebrate an incident of any type, but at least I can finally say that something bad happened at KAEG that I wasn't present for.

The plane that I've done all of my complex training in, an Arrow, N43496, landed gear up on Monday. I heard about it today and looked, and sure enough - the FAA has the info:



IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 43496 Make/Model: PA28 Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
Date: 10/03/2005 Time: 1715

Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Minor

LOCATION
City: ALBUQUERQUE State: NM Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT LANDED GEAR UP, ALBUQUERQUE, NM

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: METAR KEAG 031705Z AUTO 13005KT 10S, FEW090 21/08 A3019

OTHER DATA

Departed: Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: Flt Plan: Wx Briefing:
Last Radio Cont:
Last Clearance:

FAA FSDO: ALBUQUERQUE, NM (SW01) Entry date: 10/04/2005

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

We had a guy parked here in a queen air in the last few days somehow pulled the gear up on the ramp! He is feeling sheepish. I admired that he admitted his 'involvment'.

 

[Carol]

We had a guy parked here in a queen air in the last few days somehow pulled the gear up on the ramp! He is feeling sheepish. I admired that he admitted his 'involvment'.

One of our very best line men pulled the nose gear from a Navajo with a tug. The plane is based here. The pilot said he NEVER puts the brakes on and why he did it that time he has no idea. The line man knows to check for brakes but knew the pilot never puts his on so he didn't ask. Ah, assumptions.

 

[Michael]

I would rather pull the gear up with the engine not running if i were to do something stupid like that.

 

[AdamZ]

Curious. If a plane is just sitting on the ramp can you really raise the gear and drop the plane just by pulling the lever up? I would think there would be a weight switch to prevent that from happening. Guess not.

 

[SkyHog]

Curious. If a plane is just sitting on the ramp can you really raise the gear and drop the plane just by pulling the lever up? I would think there would be a weight switch to prevent that from happening. Guess not.

Called a squat switch. It exists, but like everything else...can fail.

Sucks, don't it?

 

[Greg Bockelman]

What Nick said.

But what will usually happen is that the nosewheel will retract because it goes either fore or aft and will roll. The mains have a harder time because they go sideways. (typically. Not always. Some will retract fore or aft.)

 

[Brian Austin]

I hate to celebrate an incident of any type, but at least I can finally say that something bad happened at KAEG that I wasn't present for.

The plane that I've done all of my complex training in, an Arrow, N43496, landed gear up on Monday. I heard about it today and looked, and sure enough - the FAA has the info:

Ah, but you touched it!

Wonder when Michael's Mooney is going to have an issue?

 

[SkyHog]

Ah, but you touched it!

Wonder when Michael's Mooney is going to have an issue?

LOL! Uh oh. Lets hope his mag problems were my fault, and that's as far as it goes!

 

[Paul Allen]

My Mooney has a safety switch and you need to be going 65kts before the gear will retract. There is no way I'm testing it unless the plane is on the jacks.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Curious. If a plane is just sitting on the ramp can you really raise the gear and drop the plane just by pulling the lever up? I would think there would be a weight switch to prevent that from happening. Guess not.

And not all are electric switches, mine is a hydraulic valve.
I think Michael is right about the engine not running being better, but it is still possible you'd need a new prop and have to tear the engine down if the flange is bent.

 

[SkyHog]

Today, I went out to the airport to bum around a bit, and sure enough, on the ramp, I saw her, N43496. From behind, I saw absolutely no damage. I couldn't believe my eyes.

I walked up closer and saw one of the gnarliest looking props I've ever seen. It was twisted and gnarled up pretty badly. Surprisingly, the gear looked fine, and the undercarriage (is that what its called on airplanes?) looked virtually undamaged. Only a few scratches. I couldn't believe it!

It doesn't look like it'll be too bad to fix at all. I was gonna get a picture, but I forgot. I'll be going back out to the airport on Saturday, if its still on the ramp, I'll snap a few.