What happened
On February 21, 2014, at approximately 7:55 p.m., a Piper Seneca PA-34-200T, registration N47733, was conducting a private flight from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, USA, to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, with a planned stop for refueling before continuing to Brazil. While on final approach to runway 08 at Gregorio Luperón International Airport (MDPP), the pilot noticed that the nose landing gear failed to extend and lock in the down position.
The pilot declared an emergency and proceeded to fly over the airport station to allow ground personnel to visually confirm the gear's status. After ground staff confirmed the nose gear remained retracted, the pilot executed emergency procedures in accordance with the aircraft's operating manual. The aircraft landed on runway 08, resulting in minor damage to the lower forward section of the fuselage. All three occupants (the pilot and two passengers) were uninjured.
The investigation
The CIAA investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear and the pilot's response. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that it had undergone an inspection equivalent to an annual check in December 2013. The investigation also reviewed meteorological conditions, which were favorable for flight, and conducted toxicological testing on the pilot, which returned negative results for all substances.
Findings
- The investigation established that the nose landing gear assembly had collapsed due to deformation.
- This structural deformation prevented the gear from properly traveling to the down and locked position.
- The deformation of the nose gear centering assembly was the primary contributing factor to the incident.