Landing Gear Retraction During Landing Leads to Substantial Damage in Piper PA-28R-200

Casualties unknown • BELÉM, PA, BR

A Piper PA-28R-200 experienced an inadvertent landing gear retraction during a landing roll, resulting in substantial damage to the engine, propeller, and wing.

What happened

On June 1, 2012, a Piper PA-2-8R-200, registration PT-ISU, was performing a cargo flight (transport of valuables) from Fazenda Santo Ambrósio to Belém, Brazil. During the landing at Brigadeiro Protásio de Oliveira Airport (SBJC), the aircraft landed on runway 34, which resulted in a tailwind condition.

In an attempt to mitigate the effects of the tailwind and shorten the landing roll, the pilot attempted to keep the nose gear off the ground while simultaneously retracting the flaps. During this maneuver, the main landing gear and subsequently the nose gear retracted. The aircraft veered to the left, traveling approximately 150 meters before coming to a stop between the paved runway and the grass strip. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the engine, propeller, and left wing, though all three occupants escaped without injury.

The investigation

The CENIPA investigation confirmed that the pilot was properly licensed and rated for the aircraft type, and all medical and airworthiness documentation was valid. The aircraft was within weight and balance limits, and meteorological conditions were favorable for flight.

Investigators focused on the unusual landing technique and the cockpit configuration. A portable GPS unit had been installed on a support mounted to the pilot's control stick, with a power cable routed from a plug between the aircraft's radios. The investigation examined whether the pilot's flight controls were manipulated in a way that interfered with the landing gear lever.

Findings

  • The pilot performed a landing on the opposite runway (34) despite being informed that runway 16 was in use with a 6-knot wind.
  • The pilot utilized a landing technique—keeping the nose gear airborne while retracting flaps—that was not authorized by the aircraft's checklist.
  • The inadvertent retraction of the landing gear was likely caused by the GPS power cable, which passed beneath the landing gear lever, being tensioned when the pilot manipulated the control stick.
  • The pilot's decision to use non-standard procedures to mitigate tailwind effects indicated an inadequate assessment of operational parameters.

Probable cause

The inadvertent retraction of the landing gear was likely triggered by the tensioning of a portable GPS power cable during an unauthorized landing maneuver intended to mitigate tailwind effects.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2012-06-01 aircraft accident near BELÉM, PA, BR?

A Piper PA-28R-200 experienced an inadvertent landing gear retraction during a landing roll, resulting in substantial damage to the engine, propeller, and wing.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2012-06-01 involved a aircraft, registration PTISU, at BELÉM, PA, BR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The inadvertent retraction of the landing gear was likely triggered by the tensioning of a portable GPS power cable during an unauthorized landing maneuver intended to mitigate tailwind effects.

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