Manhattan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manhattan, Kansas 66502
Sunday, June 23, 1985 13:26 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT SAID HE PUT THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH TO THE DOWN POSITION AND THOUGHT THAT HE OBSERVED A GREEN, DOWN ANDLOCKED INDICATOR LIGHT; HOWEVER, THE ACFT LANDED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH WAS DOWN AND THE GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED. THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WAS ALSO FUNCTIONALLY TESTED. DURING THE FIRST RETRACTION THE GEAR MOTOR CB TRIPPED. AFTER THE CB WAS RESET THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONED PROPERLY THROUGH SEVERAL CYCLES. THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS AND HORN ALSO WORKED PROPERLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1326
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MANHATTAN
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66502
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MANHATTAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MHK
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 1056
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MHK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1056
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 23 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1605
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28260
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7012Y
NTSB Number MKC85LA138
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
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 30-13
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 4076
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK R. ELDER, JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 611 LAUREL
Aircraft Owner City VANDENBERG AFB
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93437
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VANDENBERG AFB FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City VANDENBERG AFB
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93437
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 ACT
Departure City WACO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --