On August 19, 2006, a Piper PA-24-250 (registration N6249P) was involved in an aviation accident near Auburn, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the landing gear's normal retraction/extension assembly due to an overload condition. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After takeoff, the pilot noted landing gear would not retract and believed it was down and locked. Upon landing, all three gear retracted. Examination revealed the retraction motor had separated with overstress fractures.
Incident Overview
After takeoff, the pilot determined that the landing gear would not retract properly. Believing the gear was in the down and locked position, the pilot elected to continue to the destination airport. Upon arrival, the aircraft touched down on the main landing gear wheels and rolled out. The nose landing gear was then lowered onto the runway surface. After the nose gear contacted the runway, all three landing gear retracted.
Examination Findings
A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear retraction motor had separated from its rear bulkhead attachment. The component's rivets were found fractured in the contact surface plane. Deformation and smeared features were observed, consistent with overstress. It could not be determined when the overstress event occurred.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…