Introduction
On June 25, 2011, at 1100 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane, registration N4106Q, was substantially damaged during a wheels-up landing on runway 27 at Rantoul National Aviation Center Airport (KTIP), Rantoul, Illinois. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was conducted without a flight plan. The personal flight had departed from KTIP at 1030.
Landing Gear Issue
According to the pilot, the landing gear did not fully retract after takeoff. After several unsuccessful attempts to retract the landing gear, he elected to return to the departure airport. The pilot did not use the emergency extension system after noticing that the green landing gear position lights were not illuminated. The airplane skidded on the lower fuselage for approximately 100 yards before the left wing collided with a runway light. The left wing and lower fuselage were substantially damaged during the wheels-up landing.
Postaccident Inspection
A postaccident inspection revealed that the main landing gear were extended approximately 1 foot below their respective wheel wells. The nose landing gear was fully retracted into its gear well with the gear doors closed. The airplane was placed onto jack stands for an operational test of the landing gear extension and retraction system. With electrical power on, the landing gear did not extend when the selector handle was placed in the down position. Further examination determined that the electric motor for the landing gear power pack was not operational. A teardown inspection of the electric motor revealed that the brushes were worn past serviceable limits.
Emergency Extension System
No anomalies were noted during a postaccident operational test of the emergency landing gear extension system. When hydraulic pressure was released using the emergency extension lever, all three landing gear fully extended, and the corresponding green position lights illuminated.