On June 23, 1985, a Piper PA-30 (registration N7012Y) operated by Vandenberg Afb Flying Club was involved in an aviation accident near Manhattan, KS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft landed with its landing gear retracted after the pilot reported a green indicator light. Examination found the gear switch down but the gear motor circuit breaker tripped; functional testing showed intermittent tripping.
Incident Overview
A pilot reported that after placing the landing gear selector switch to the down position, he believed he observed a green indicator light indicating the gear was down and locked. However, the aircraft subsequently landed with the landing gear still retracted.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the landing, examination of the aircraft revealed that the landing gear selector switch was in the down position. The gear motor circuit breaker was found to be tripped. Investigators conducted functional tests of the landing gear system. During the first retraction cycle, the gear motor circuit breaker tripped again. After resetting the circuit breaker, the system operated properly through several subsequent retraction and extension cycles. The gear indicator lights and warning horn also functioned correctly during testing.