Key West International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key West, Florida 33040
Saturday, June 24, 2000 11:01 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot originally departed Bowling Green, Ohio, with his wife and another passenger, en route to Key West, Florida. While en route, the airplane experienced several complete electrical system failures. While over Cape Canaveral, Florida, the airplane experienced an electrical failure and one of the passengers assisted the pilot in manually lowering the landing gear. During one diversion, the airplane's battery was charged and replaced, and on another occasion the right alternator and a broken wire from the left alternator were replaced. Prior to the reaching Key West, the one passenger who assisted the pilot in manually lowering the landing gear returned to Ohio by car. While en route to the final destination, the airplane experienced another electrical system failure 14 miles north of Key West. The pilot attempted to manually lower the landing gear, but lacked enough 'muscle' to physically lower the landing gear in the down and locked position. Upon touching down on runway 9, the airplane's landing gear collapsed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A landing gear collapse resulting from the pilot's unsuccessful attempt to complete the manual gear extension due to physical strength overload. A factor was the complete electrical system failure during cruise flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1101
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KEY WEST
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33040
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EYW
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 4
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EYW
Elevation of weather observation facility 4
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1642
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 235
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 24 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1242
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8629Y
NTSB Number ATL00LA073
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-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1770
Certified Max Gross Weight 3725
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 3696
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN C. HALLECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19496 W. RIVER RD.
Aircraft Owner City BOWLING GREEN
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43402
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 No
Departure Airport Code FPR
Departure City FORT PIERCE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EYW
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 4801
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --