Dothan Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dothan, Alabama 36350
Saturday, March 24, 2012 17:11 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After flying in the local area for about 1.8 hours, the pilot returned to the departure airport. However, when he placed the landing gear selector handle to the down position before landing, the gear did not fully extend and lock into position. The pilot said that he attempted to lower the landing gear manually using the emergency landing gear selector handle but reported that he felt great resistance after several pump strokes. He then pitched the airplane up then pushed the control yoke forward, which fully raised the landing gear (as he intended), then he attempted numerous times to extend the landing gear without success. The pilot proceeded to an alternate airport, where he performed a low pass by the air traffic control tower and was informed that the landing gear was in an “unsafe” position. He again raised the landing gear and returned to the alternate airport for a gear-up landing. He landed on the grass adjacent to the paved runway with the front propeller feathered and in a horizontal position in compliance with the procedures spelled out in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook. The airplane slid for about 200 feet before coming to rest upright. Postaccident, the airplane was raised with jacks, and a mechanic attempted to lower the landing gear using the emergency gear extension handle. The nose landing gear went into the down and locked position; however, the mechanic reported that the main landing gear only extended through about half of its cycle before the emergency gear extension handle “…came into a hydraulic lock." The mechanic was able to manually push the main landing gears into the locked position, and the airplane was lowered from the jacks. The airplane’s hydraulic powerpack was not available for testing; no cause for the landing gear malfunction could be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the landing gear to extend and lock, despite troubleshooting attempts using normal and emergency procedures. The reason for the failure could not be determined because the systems were unavailable for testing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1711
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Dothan
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36350
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 311916N
Event Location Longitude 0852658W
Event Location Airport Dothan Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DHN
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 401
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 401
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
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) 31422
NTSB Notification Source FAA Birmingham FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2013 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2334S
NTSB Number ERA12LA273
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T337B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 337-0634
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Kevin R. Diel
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Newton
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36352-9043
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Kevin R. Diel
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Newton
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 36352-9043
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 No
Departure Airport Code EDN
Departure City Enterprise
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1405
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DHN
Destination City Dothan
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2013 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --