Incident Overview
On 23 February 2006, at 17:34 UTC, a Piper PA-34-180 aircraft, registration CS-ALT, was involved in a landing accident at Aeroporto de Faro, Portugal. The flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with one pilot and three passengers on board. Weather conditions were calm with scattered clouds, visibility greater than 10 km, QNH 1024, and temperature 21 °C.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft departed from Faro Airport with the pilot and three passengers. After takeoff, the pilot retracted the landing gear but noted that it did not lock in the UP position. A burning smell was detected in the cockpit. Consequently, the pilot decided to return to the departure airport.
During landing procedures, the pilot observed that the landing gear had partially extended. A low pass was performed to allow the control tower to confirm the gear position, which was at a 45° angle. The pilot declared an emergency and initiated an approach to Runway 10.
At 17:34 UTC, the aircraft touched down softly at minimum stall speed. Upon touchdown, the landing gear fully retracted, and the lower fuselage contacted the asphalt. The aircraft slid for 128 meters before coming to a stop perpendicular to the runway axis at a 90° angle.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage and propeller. All four occupants exited the aircraft unaided and were reported uninjured (0 injuries, 0 fatalities). No fire occurred, and emergency services were not required to intervene.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was determined in the fact-sheet.