Space Coast Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Titusville, Florida 32780
Friday, September 18, 1998 8:31 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The landing gear hydraulic pump was replaced and reportedly checked satisfactory during annual inspection signed off 1 day earlier. The flight departed and after reportedly lowering the landing gear selector handle, the landing gear down and locked lights did not illuminate. The pilot cycled the navigation light switch, flew by the tower and was advised the gear appeared down and locked. He retracted the gear, reentered the traffic pattern, and again lowered the gear handle, but again, there were no down and locked lights from the landing gears nor a gear unsafe light. The pilot landed the airplane and reportedly after touchdown, the left main landing gear began to collapse. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway into grass and came to rest with the left and nose landing gears down and locked; the right main landing gear was collapsed. Post accident testing of the left main landing gear revealed no evidence of failure or malfunction; the down and locked light illuminated. The hydraulic pump was removed, bench tested, and found to operate normally. Testing of hydraulic fluid revealed it was contaminated beyond allowable limits. There was no requirement by the airplane manufacturer to replace the hydraulic fluid. The pilot reported that he did not utilize the emergency gear extension.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The collapse of the right main landing gear for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to execute the emergency gear extension procedure.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 831
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TITUSVILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32780
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPACE COAST REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TIX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 35
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 832 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TIX
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1576
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 848
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39776
NTSB Number MIA98LA248
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180
Aircraft Serial Number 44-7995030
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 7235
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DISCOVERY AVIATION SERVICES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7003 CHALLENGER AVE.
Aircraft Owner City TITUSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32780
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TIX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 755
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 6001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --