Event LAX95LA292

Factual narrative

On August 12, 1995, at 1318 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N8386H, collided with the surface of runway 28 at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport, Truckee, California, after the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane was operated as a personal flight by the pilot/co-owner. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. A third passenger sustained a minor injury. The flight originated in San Jose, California, at 1215 hours. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane's courtesy light was left on, depleting the airplane battery. The pilot started the airplane using external power. The airplane's electrical system indicated the alternator was charging the battery during the engine run-up. The pilot departed with the battery still charging. About 200 feet above the ground while the gear motor was retracting the landing gear, the electrical radio equipment flashed on and then off. The pilot recycled the master switch and smelled something burning and turned the master switch off. The pilot elected to continue the approximate 1 hour flight to his destination without electrical power. While en route the pilot encountered turbulence, slowed the airplane and manually lowered the landing gear. The pilot turned the airplane master switch "ON" in the vicinity of Squaw Valley, California, and smelled smoke believed to be from an electrical source. The pilot then turned the master switch "OFF." The pilot manually extended the gear, but could not tell if it was fully extended because of the lack of electrical power to illuminate the green gear indicator lights. Another pilot witnessed the accident airplane touch down at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport. He indicated the right main gear began to collapse after the main landing gear touched down and when the nose gear was touching the runway. The weather at the time of the accident at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport was recorded by the automated weather observing system (AWOS). The AWOS reported the winds to be from 210 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 18 knots, with the density altitude 8,200 feet msl. THE AIRPLANE'S COURTESY LIGHT WAS LEFT ON, DEPLETING BATTERY POWER. THE PILOT STARTED THE ENGINE USING EXTERNAL POWER. THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INDICATED THE ALTERNATOR WAS CHARGING THE BATTERY DURING THE ENGINE RUN-UP. THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH THE BATTERY STILL CHARGING. ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, WHILE THE GEAR MOTOR WAS RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR, THE ELECTRICAL RADIO EQUIPMENT FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE PILOT RECYCLED THE MASTER SWITCH AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APPROXIMATE 1 HOUR FLIGHT TO HIS DESTINATION WITHOUT ELECTRICAL POWER. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE, SLOWED THE AIRPLANE, AND MANUALLY LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR. HE TURNED ON THE MASTER SWITCH FOR THE LANDING, AND THE SMELL RETURNED. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT ELECTRICAL POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE LANDING GEAR WAS SAFE. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12