Key West International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key West, Florida 33040
Friday, December 26, 1986 9:06 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON AN IFR FLT, THE FLT LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE FLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND THE PLT COMPLETED THE PRE-LANDING CHECKLIST PLACING THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE GEAR, BEING ELECTRICALLY OPERATED, DID NOT EXTEND AND THE ACFT LANDED GEAR UP. THE PLT STATED THAT AT THE LAST MOMENT DURING THE FLARE, HE REMEMBERED THE GEAR WAS ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND IT BY THE EMERGENCY METHOD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO IN TIME. AN EXAM OF THE BATTERY REVEALED THAT IT WAS IN A DISCHARGED CONDITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1986
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 906
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KEY WEST
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33040
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 12
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 915 Eastern Standard 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 EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2016
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32550
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2197X
NTSB Number MIA87LA059
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-44
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44
Aircraft Serial Number 44-7995277
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 Oct 10 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GORDON B. CHAMPAGNE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8379 LONDON-GROVE PORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City GROVE CITY
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43123
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 EYW
Departure City KEY WEST
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SRQ
Destination City SARASOTA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 4800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --