What happened
On January 15, 2025, at approximately 16:30 CST, a Piper PA-25-250, registration N805 and N8051P, was involved in an accident near Tyler, Texas. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
Prior to takeoff, the pilot used jumper cables to start the engine because the aircraft battery was not charged. After departing from runway 04 at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR) and receiving clearance for a left turn, the pilot observed sparks and smoke coming from the instrument panel and the cabin. The pilot responded by turning off the generator switch, which caused the smoke and sparking to stop.
Seeking to communicate with air traffic control, the pilot turned the generator back on, but the sparking and smoke recurred, prompting the pilot to turn the generator off again. While on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot turned the generator on to operate the landing gear mechanism. Believing the gear was down and locked, the pilot turned the generator off once more to complete the landing. During the landing, the landing gear collapsed, causing substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The pilot was not injured.