On April 17, 1987, a Piper PA-23-250 (registration N40395) operated by Haverford-covington,inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Nantucket, MA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Piper PA-23-250 struck the ground during a night go-around after the pilot retracted flaps before landing gear, contrary to the manual's sequence.
Incident Overview
A Piper PA-23-250 initiated a go-around after crossing the runway threshold during a night instrument approach, when the pilot observed that the runway lights were not illuminated. The pilot reported adding full power and retracting the wing flaps. However, the Piper manual specifies that the correct procedure for a go-around is to add full power, retract the landing gear, and then slowly retract the wing flaps.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft made ground contact while the landing gear was still extended. During the ground impact, the airplane passed through a drainage ditch. The specific details of damage or injuries were not provided in the source.
Investigation Notes
The investigation focused on the pilot's deviation from the published go-around procedure. The source does not state any causal factors beyond the sequence of actions performed.