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CEN11CA103

2010-11-18 · Spring, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport DWH

Current FAA registration · N8320H

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28RT-201T
Year of manufacture
1980 · 30 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER (225 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19810102
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB6228

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The failure of the right landing gear down-lock mechanism to fully engage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to verify the landing gear extension due to the inoperative alternator.

Factual narrative

Shortly after departure the single-engine airplane experienced an electrical failure. The private pilot elected to return to his departure airport for landing. The pilot performed an emergency landing gear extension; however, with no electrical power remaining, he could not verify that it was down and locked via the gear position lights. Seconds after the airplane touched down to the runway, the right landing gear collapsed. Unable to maintain directional control, the airplane departed the right side of the runway and hit a runway light, before coming to rest in an upright and right wing low position alongside the runway. The airplane’s right wing spar and right aileron were substantially damaged during the accident. An examination of the right landing gear revealed that the downlock mechanism had not fully engaged, thus resulting in its collapse. In addition, the electrical failure was due to an inoperative alternator. Shortly after departure the airplane experienced an electrical failure. The pilot elected to return to his departure airport for landing. He performed an emergency landing gear extension; however, with no electrical power remaining, he could not verify that the landing gear was down and locked via the gear position lights. Seconds after the airplane touched down on the runway, the right landing gear collapsed. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a runway light, coming to rest in an upright and right-wing-low position adjacent to the runway. The airplane’s right wing spar and right aileron were substantially damaged during the accident. An examination of the right landing gear revealed that the downlock mechanism had not fully engaged, thus resulting in its collapse. The electrical failure was due to an inoperative alternator. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Gear extension and retract sys-Failure - C
  • F Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Electrical power system-Alternator-generator drive sys-Failure - F

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_CEN11CA103.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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