Mooney gear up in NC

[FloridaMan]

http://www.news-record.com/news/1020637-91/pilot-escapes-injury-in-pti#.UWGUm_2LI60.email 

 

They always report that the pilot's certificate was issued on such-and-such a date in these things. I think this information is always factually incorrect as it shows the date of the latest issuance of a certificate, regardless of whether it was a check ride, or if the pilot just had a change of address. Also, I wouldn't consider the pilot as "escaping injury" in this one. Gear ups rarely end in injury, except to one's pride and wallet. And this doesn't seem like a "crash landing" either, as was reported. 

[scottfromiowa]

+1....

Can you say Agenda...I knew you could. A gear up is not a "crash". I would define as an incident not an accident if there was mechanical failure.

Gotta love the news services. Every time I read I think of Don Henley' s song dirty laundry....sigh

Get yourself a nice smooth one piece belly, new prop and overlapping gear doors Tony. Be better than pre-incident.

[PilotDerek]

Thats Mooney Space member Austinpyne. Sorry to see that. I wonder if he'll let us know if it was mechanical or forgetfullness. I know the story said the gear failed to come down but as well all know that story is garbage.

[DrBill]

YEP.. That was Austin.. he hit a pot hole at the airport.  Now this... and he hasn't had the Mooney that long.  Electric gear bird so I hope they find something wrong with the gear system..

I'm not that far from him and we have yet to meet up.

BILL

[TonyPynes]

You guys took the words out of my mouth. The reporter was clueless. It was the smoothest of landings....no emergency declared and certainly no crash. Yes I landed with the gear up...which is a fact. Since anything on this forum will be open to inspection I will not speculate but mention what I know. I was prepping for my Instrument Rating checkride and was actually practicing maneuverings on this flight turns and steep turns just to reinforce piloting skills. I was coming in on approach, wind pretty much down the runway. 4-5 miles out I start my routine. I said GUMPS out loud, dropped gear and scanned my gear lever/light, prop, mixture,flaps. And checked gauges. On final I chose to use full flaps and again scanned for gear down and flaps where I want them, trimmed for the descent....I always do at least two checks before landing. I did float more than I should have but I eased a little power to make sure it would be gradual descent and slowly touched down....except it was my step that touched down and eventually she gently sat on her belly and the prop struck and stopped the engine and slid just to the right of centerline. When I stopped I notified the tower I had geared up and was exiting the aircraft. No emergency was announced by me or tower. I quickly secured the systems shutting down all electronics and set fuel to off. Later a crane was called and the plane was gently lifted with straps....well done and no damage... I was numb at this point wondering how could the gear not be down. No gear up warning at all. So by this time a crane truck, 4 fire trucks,police chief,and FBO GM and A&P were there to help. As she sat on the runway the mains were about a quarter way down and not touching runway. Nose gear and belly had the weight of the plane. With the aircraft lifted up I climbed in to try to lower gear. Attempting to lower gear tripped gear breaker, so I manually lowered the mains. But only took 37 turns which makes sense since the mains were already partially down. The nose gear would not completely extend and lock and someone had to push it forward. Once out of the plane I looked at the nose gear and could see one bungee in nose gear was pulled apart with the internal rod hanging down and the other side broke the metal truss where it connected. No fuselage damage except belly pan and nose gear doors. Transponder antenna broke (don't know how) and step tore away part of belly as it hit first.Wings and main gear never touched earth. Yes it was the same plane that had a prop strike due to taxiing into a pothole on the airfield. About 200 hours on overhaul....maybe100 hours since last inspection for a prop strike. After 50 hours of concentrating precision instruction for IR with a instructor sitting there listening to me call out GUMPs I cannot believe I have a gear up landing. 200 hour pilot about to report a second claim....meet with FAA Monday......I hope to have the belly pan off tomorrow to understand if there is anything else broke that might have impacted the events.

[N201MKTurbo]

If your down limit switch was stuck, I think the motor would stop as soon as it came off the up limit switch and would give a green light. I would need to look at the wireing diagrams to be sure.

[OR75]

 Electric gear bird so I hope they find something wrong with the gear system..

 

 

Not sure I understand why would someone hope there is something wrong with the electric gear.

 

I have an electric gear and sure hope i keep flying with it fully working.

[nels]

In another thread, I mentioned an idea to use a cheap video camera with the end of the fiber optic cable just peaking out the belly so as to observe the gear up or down. These cameras can be bought for as little as $70 and really work well. I know it's another thing to look at but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

[Marauder]

The electric gear on these planes are robust but can and do fail. I chased an intermittent gear lowering problem for a bit. In my case the breaker would pop while lowering. Turned out after replacing numerous gear related parts to be a slipping alternator belt. Go figure. Keep us tuned into what is discovered.

[OR75]

journalists and most people don't understand GA.

Striking to hear them say each time there is an incident that the pilot did not have a flight plan which in their minds reads that he probably did not know where he was going.

[TonyPynes]

I did recently have 73-23-04 AD completed about 3 hours ago. My AP actually sent me pictures of gears ....all look like new. I hope to get into the belly pan...single belly from before I owned it...this week and look at stops and switches.

[jetdriven]

In another thread, I mentioned an idea to use a cheap video camera with the end of the fiber optic cable just peaking out the belly so as to observe the gear up or down. These cameras can be bought for as little as $70 and really work well. I know it's another thing to look at but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

That gear down indicator in the floor is bolted to the retraction truss.  In the 1977 POH, it says to extend gear, and check gear down "Gear down light on - marks aligned in visual indicator in floor."

[Alan Fox]

Being a "one that has " and not a "one that will" from experience the way he describes the "float" was longer than expected is a dead ringer that the gear was up , regardless of what was indicated in the cockpit.....I had a retractable step , so my first indication of what was wrong was when the prop tips struck the pavement , but the most pronounced thing about the whole incident was the flare that seemed to last forever......I managed to execute a go aroung and ended up knocking off a nav antenna , scratching a flap hinge , and bending the prop tips back about 1 inch....  My nickname for a year or so ws "Crash n dash".... 

[rbridges]

we're just glad you're okay.  hopefully you'll be back flying soon.

[triple8s]

All those emergency personel they should have put'r back on her legs the Aussie way, and forgot the crane. I have seen a lot of planes ruined by the crane.

[TonyPynes]

I was wary of the crane but they were very careful and kept it tight to the wing in the front and just aft of the cabin in back. I was under the plane today and rechecked. No sheet metal was hurt. Just found this on ASRS http://akama.arc.nasa.gov/ASRSDBOnline/QueryWizard_Display.aspx?server=ASRSO

[TonyPynes]

Yea the flare in hindsight was too long...had to guard descent with power even with full flaps.

[TonyPynes]

Jet driven....lessons learned.

[TonyPynes]

Rbridges Thanks

[TonyPynes]

Now I need to figure out options on repair. My mechanic is 30 mins away. Nose gear is broken up and engine stoppage prop strike.

[PMcClure]

Being a "one that has " and not a "one that will" from experience the way he describes the "float" was longer than expected is a dead ringer that the gear was up , regardless of what was indicated in the cockpit.....I had a retractable step , so my first indication of what was wrong was when the prop tips struck the pavement , but the most pronounced thing about the whole incident was the flare that seemed to last forever......I managed to execute a go aroung and ended up knocking off a nav antenna , scratching a flap hinge , and bending the prop tips back about 1 inch....  My nickname for a year or so ws "Crash n dash".... 

Our partner did the same thing in our F model. He said the float was so long and the flare just kept going. He went around and after landing found he had ground off a the tips of the antennas and a couple of other pieces. Unfortunately, we also just nicked the prop, the tips were bent just a bit (but enough to require the full inspection). 

[OR75]

Does the F model has a sound gear warning alarm ? ( When the throttle is near idle )

[N601RX]

Now I need to figure out options on repair. My mechanic is 30 mins away. Nose gear is broken up and engine stoppage prop strike.

I believe the insurance company will pay to get it back home. Repalce the damaged gear parts, dial the crank and put on a ferrry prop and get the permit..

[Alan Fox]

if it is insured for less than 55K it will be totaled out and sold ....lets hope it has a lot of insurance...

[PMcClure]

Does the F model has a sound gear warning alarm ? ( When the throttle is near idle )

Our F model did have a gear alarm when the MP is below 13" and the gear is not down. My partner said he heard it and it registered as the stall warning. It was his 7th and last approach on an IFR practice day. TT of 700 hours with no issue then......