Landing Gear Collapse During Taxi at Runway

Casualties unknown • Phoenix, AZ, US

The right main landing gear collapsed as the pilot began taxiing for departure. Post-accident inspection revealed all gears were not down-and-locked, though no mechanical anomalies were found.

What happened

The incident occurred while the aircraft was preparing for departure. The pilot had successfully completed the engine run-up procedure and was in the process of taxiing toward the runway when the right main landing gear suddenly collapsed. This structural failure prevented further movement under its own power.

The investigation

Following the accident, recovery personnel were able to manually cycle the landing gear mechanism, successfully returning it to a down-and-locked position for safe removal of the aircraft. A thorough mechanical examination was conducted on the landing gear system to determine the root cause of the collapse.

Findings

The post-accident inspection revealed that none of the landing gears were in the down-and-locked position prior to the collapse. Despite this critical configuration error, the mechanical examination found no mechanical anomalies within the landing gear system itself. This suggests the failure was likely due to improper setup or indication rather than a hardware malfunction.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to ensure the landing gear was fully extended and locked before taxiing.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2006-12-17 Piper PA 23-235 accident near Phoenix, AZ?

The right main landing gear collapsed as the pilot began taxiing for departure. Post-accident inspection revealed all gears were not down-and-locked, though no mechanical anomalies were found.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2006-12-17 involved a Piper PA 23-235, registration N5829X, operated by ON File, at Phoenix, AZ.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to ensure the landing gear was fully extended and locked before taxiing.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20070123X00084. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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