Incident Overview
On February 21, 2014, at approximately 7:55 pm local time, a Piper Seneca PA-34-200T, registration N47733, experienced an incident at Gregorio Luperón International Airport (MDPP) in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The aircraft was on a private flight from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, USA, with one pilot and two passengers on board.
Emergency and Landing
The pilot declared an emergency after the nose landing gear failed to indicate down and locked. After confirming the issue with ground personnel, the captain proceeded to perform an emergency landing on runway 08. The aircraft sustained minor damage, consisting of a rupture in the lower forward fuselage. No other damage occurred.
Occupants and Injuries
All three occupants—one crew member and two passengers—were uninjured. The aircraft was configured with six seats.
Aircraft Information
The Piper Seneca PA-34-200T (serial number 34-7770433) was manufactured in 1977 and had accumulated 1,514.0 total hours. It was powered by two Continental TSIO-360 series reciprocating engines (left: TSIO-360-KBCEB, serial 315136, 1,514.0 hours; right: TSIO-360-EB, serial 306679, 1,508.9 hours) producing 215 hp each. The landing gear was a retractable tricycle type. The aircraft was privately owned and operated.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a US national born February 17, 1980, held ratings for single-engine and multi-engine land aircraft as well as instrument rating. The last checkride was on February 26, 2012. Total flight time was 1,200 hours, with 150 hours on type. In the preceding 90, 30, 72, and 24 hours, the pilot had logged 200, 60, 10, and 6 hours, respectively.
Weather and Airport Conditions
Meteorological conditions at the airport were favorable for the operation. Wind was 10 knots, temperature 28°C. The airport was closed for one hour and ten minutes following the incident. No NOTAM was issued.
Damage and Aftermath
Emergency services were activated. The aircraft damage was limited to the lower forward fuselage. No other property was damaged.