NTSB FTW92LA121 — 1992-04-27 · HOUSTON, Texas, United States

Current FAA registration · N140RD

Make / Model: PIPER PA-31-350
Year of manufacture: 1975 · 17 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)
Seats / Engines: 8 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date: 19750222
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A0A42B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N140RD Piper PA-31-350 None

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM SEAL AND THE SUBSEQUENT FLUID LEAK.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE TOWER A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. A FLYOVER WAS PERFORMED AND A GEAR PROBLEM CONFIRMED. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO FLY AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. UPON TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 04, THE NOSE AND RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS FOUND DEPLETED OF FLUID AND THE SEAL FOR THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENTION HAND PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_FTW92LA121.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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