Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
Sunday, September 17, 2006 10:51 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that after takeoff, the landing gear remained extended based on sluggish airplane performance and also lack of indicator lights after attempting to retract the gear using the normal procedures. He attempted to cycle the landing gear and also attempted to extend the landing gear using the emergency hand pump and also by the emergency CO2 blow-down bottle; the results of both were unsuccessful. He further reported hydraulic fluid on the cockpit floor after using the emergency hand pump but postaccident examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed no hydraulic fluid leakage in the cockpit. The pilot was advised by air traffic control that the landing gear appeared retracted but the landing gear doors were open. The flight proceeded to another airport where the airplane was landed with the landing gear retracted. Postaccident examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed a loose B-nut of a flexible hydraulic hose at the nose landing gear actuator; the hydraulic reservoir of the power pack was empty. The hose was tightened, the reservoir was serviced, and the landing gear was cycled 3 times using the emergency hand pump. Misadjustment of the down lock switches for each main landing gear was noted though all gears were down and locked over center during gear extension. The pilot advised the FAA that before the accident, no work was performed to the landing gear, though records indicate the pilot purchased the flexible hydraulic hose that was found to have a loose B-nut. Additionally, in May 2006, and again in August 2006, the pilot requested from 2 separate individuals to check the landing gear. The pilot (not a certificated airframe mechanic), asked the one individual in May 2006 to assist him with a "Main Landing Gear retraction problem he couldn't solve." The pilot provided to the NTSB the name of the mechanic who removed and replaced the flexible hydraulic hose at the nose landing gear actuator which was found to have the loose B-nut. The mechanic (that the pilot stated had replaced the hydraulic hose) reported that he did not perform any work to the landing gear system. The maintenance records did not reflect, and no determination was made as to who removed and replaced the flexible hydraulic hose that was found to have the loose B-nut.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inadequate installation of a flexible hydraulic hose at the nose landing gear actuator by an unknown person resulting in the total loss of hydraulic fluid, the inability of the pilot to extend the landing gear, and subsequent wheels-up landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/17/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1051 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fort Lauderdale |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33309 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 261183N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801025W |
| Event Location Airport | Fort Lauderdale Executive |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FXE |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20995 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2007 11:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N428RM |
| NTSB Number | MIA06CA139 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-7654162 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FLX LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | -- |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lewes |
| Operator State | DE |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | KBCT |
| Departure City | Boca Raton |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MYBS |
| Destination City | Bimini |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | BF |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 5 2006 9:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |