What happened
On November 12, 2023, at approximately 18:53 UTC, a Piper PA-28R-180 (Arrow) was returning from a recreational flight when the pilot encountered a landing gear malfunction. While approaching Runway 23 at the Viña del Mar Aerodrome (SCVM) in the Valparaíso Region, the pilot discovered that the nose gear would not deploy.
After attempting both the normal and emergency gear extension procedures without success, the pilot performed an emergency landing. The aircraft impacted the runway with the nose gear retracted, causing the nose of the plane to strike the asphalt. The aircraft came to a stop 245 meters from the threshold of Runway 23. All four occupants (the pilot and three passengers) were able to exit the aircraft via their own means and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the aircraft and the flight logs to determine the cause of the gear failure. Post-incident inspections revealed significant damage to the propeller, which showed deformation and wear on both blades due to contact with the runway surface. The engine cowling and exhaust ducts also sustained wear from the impact.
Mechanical examination of the landing gear assembly showed that the nose gear strut, shimmy damper, and steering arm had sustained damage. Crucially, investigators found that the nose gear remained stuck in the upward position. Testing conducted after the accident confirmed that while the main landing gear functioned correctly, the nose gear remained jammed during both normal and emergency extension sequences.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure of the nose landing gear to extend despite the execution of both normal and emergency deployment procedures.
- The aircraft sustained structural damage to the propeller, engine cowling, and nose gear components due to the impact with the runway.
- The pilot successfully notified Air Traffic Services regarding the emergency prior to landing.