Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ATL93LA049

CROSSVILLE, TN, USA

Aircraft #1

N7712Y

PIPER PA-30

Analysis

ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT TOTAL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. HE COULD NOT LOWER THE FLAPS, AND WHEN HE LOWERED THE GEAR HANDLE, NO GREENS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. HE ELECTED TO RAISE THE GEAR HANDLE AND LAND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY, AN FBO EMPLOYEE LOWERED THE GEAR HANDLE, AND THE GEAR EXTENDED AND LOCKED. HE THEN TURNED ON THE MASTER SWITCH, AND OBSERVED 3 GREEN GEAR DOWN LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE MANUAL ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION METHOD. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER COULD HAVE RESULTED FROM HIS FAILURE TO TURN ON THE GENERATORS DURING THE FLIGHT.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW CHECKLIST PROCEDURES IN THAT HE DID NOT UTILIZE THE ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION METHOD WHEN ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. A FACTOR WAS HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST WHEN HE FAILED TO TURN ON THE GENERATORS PRIOR TO FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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