David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spring, Texas 77379
Thursday, November 18, 2010 12:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after departure the airplane experienced an electrical failure. The pilot elected to return to his departure airport for landing. He performed an emergency landing gear extension; however, with no electrical power remaining, he could not verify that the landing gear was down and locked via the gear position lights. Seconds after the airplane touched down on the runway, the right landing gear collapsed. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a runway light, coming to rest in an upright and right-wing-low position adjacent to the runway. The airplane’s right wing spar and right aileron were substantially damaged during the accident. An examination of the right landing gear revealed that the downlock mechanism had not fully engaged, thus resulting in its collapse. The electrical failure was due to an inoperative alternator.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the right landing gear down-lock mechanism to fully engage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to verify the landing gear extension due to the inoperative alternator.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/18/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Spring
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77379
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 300343N
Event Location Longitude 0953310W
Event Location Airport David Wayne Hooks Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DWH
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 Pilot
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 39
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.34
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28053
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 9 2011 8:53AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8320H
NTSB Number CEN11CA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8131057
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7857
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name STICK LARRY G
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City THE WOODLANDS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77380-2997
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name STICK LARRY G
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City THE WOODLANDS
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77380-2997
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code DWH
Departure City Spring
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DZB
Destination City Horseshoe Bay
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 7 2011 6:48PM
User who most recently changed record lebt
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35L
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --