Gear Down and Locked?!

[airplanerik]

I guess this is why UND makes you say, "Flaps 40, gear down and locked" while on final (even in the Warrior).

"On Wednesday afternoon, September 7, 2005 a training mishap occurred in Fertile, Minnesota when a Piper Seminole (apparently) landed gear up. There were no injuries. The mishap is under investigation as per UND's Aviation Safety Program."

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Does the school make you carry renter's insurance or do they handle the deductables?

Not the best way to start a school year off. How many twins does the school have?

[CRJ700]

Damn I heard about this but wasn't sure until my friend told me he was at the SOF when they got the call that there plane was down and they needed an inspector. Both the student and the instructor didn't notice. That sucks!

[CaptainChris87]

did you take these pics erik? Thank God theyre both OK. but the MEI that was with the student..

[stuckingfk]

[ QUOTE ]
did you take these pics erik? Thank God theyre both OK. but the MEI that was with the student..

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure how he got these pics, if they were sent to everyone that's cool. But if you got them from someone else, I wouldn't be posting them here.

[CRJDriver]

Don't know how you got a hold of those pictures. They might have send out an e-mail to the instructors. I think we got the e-mail at dispatch. Anyway, sucks landing gear up.

[JaceTheAce]

[ QUOTE ]
Does the school make you carry renter's insurance or do they handle the deductables?

Not the best way to start a school year off. How many twins does the school have?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, you are not responsible to pay the $5000 deductable. According to Dana Siewart, only one person has had to pay that in the history of UND accidents.

[roundout]

maybe my former students will quit giggling behind my back. i made them do go-arounds every single time if the call wasn't made. maybe one of the few things i did right with those two characters. hope someone learns a lesson from this. i don't beleive there's precedent for an occurance of this sort at UND.

[SteveC]

You would think that they would at least push the dang thing over so it's on centerline, wouldn't you?

[UAL747400]

Oh wow!

I cant even begin to imagine what that feels like doing that, scraping to a hault, and sitting there in total silence(for a couple seconds at least).

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
You would think that they would at least push the dang thing over so it's on centerline, wouldn't you?



[/ QUOTE ]

The formation wingman performed a waveoff.


That's the second PA-44 I've seen gear up. Doug and I watched a Riddle PA-44 land gear up intentionally, after it's right main fell off in mid air.

[SteveC]

[ QUOTE ]
....land gear up intentionally, after it's right main fell off in mid air.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bet someone had a little *chat* with mx after that, eh?

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
....land gear up intentionally, after it's right main fell off in mid air.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bet someone had a little *chat* with mx after that, eh?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, what had happened was that there were unknown hairline cracks developing on the main gear trunnion attachments inside the gear well from constant cycles. The PA-44 in question had completed a series of touch and goes where the gear actually failed while on the go. Witnesses observed the right mainmount hanging by the hydraulic lines on the go portion. The crew then departed to the area to burn off fuel and figure out what to do, at which some point the gear fell off. IP made a gear up landing with not much damage, since the IP was able to shut down the engines and feather them; and also was able to move them via the starter to get them horizontal so the props wouldn't hit. Inspection of the PA-44 fleet at PRC later revealed 5 other planes with similar cracks already existing or forming, creating an AD later for the type.
The tail number was N39776, as I still remember. November of 1990 was the date.

[SteveC]

[ QUOTE ]
Nah, what had happened was that there were unknown hairline cracks developing on the main gear trunnion attachments inside the gear well from constant cycles.

[/ QUOTE ]
"cycles" - is that a euphemism for student pilot aircraft carrier-style landings?

[ QUOTE ]
IP made a gear up landing with not much damage, since the IP was able to shut down the engines and feather them; and also was able to move them via the starter to get them horizontal so the props wouldn't hit.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm glad that worked out for him. I've always wondered if it isn't asking for more trouble by shutting down both engines rather than keeping power available in case of a botched approach / landing? Maybe better to rebuild two engines rather than try to rebuild two pilots who couldn't do a go-around when they needed to?

I don't really know the answer to this question. I'd probably be awfully tempted to shut 'em down too, but I can't help thinking that it could be just one more "link in the chain", you know?

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]

I'm glad that worked out for him. I've always wondered if it isn't asking for more trouble by shutting down both engines rather than keeping power available in case of a botched approach / landing? Maybe better to rebuild two engines rather than try to rebuild two pilots who couldn't do a go-around when they needed to?

I don't really know the answer to this question. I'd probably be awfully tempted to shut 'em down too, but I can't help thinking that it could be just one more "link in the chain", you know?

[/ QUOTE ]


Good question. Risk/reward trade-off....worth it? I don't know. The IP....Ted something (can't remember his last name), told me he carried an extra 25 knots on final in order to "buy time" to pull his move. It's one of those things that if you pull it off, you're a hero; you screw it up, you're a zero; with nothing in between the thin line separating the two.