N2930YPiper PA-34-200 · 1974

On July 10, 2019, about 1527 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34 airplane, N2930Y, sustained substantial damage during landing at Willow Run Airport (KYIP), Ypsilanti, Michigan. The airplane was registered to IXI, LLC and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Pontiac airport (KPTK) about 1430.

According to the pilot, he was practicing touch-and-go landings when the accident occurred. He stated that after several instrument approaches, with the last being at KYIP, they did about four touch and go landings on runway 23R. On the last one (accident flight) he said the approach and flight around the traffic pattern was normal. On the downwind leg, when abeam the mid-point of the runway, the landing gear was selected down, with three green lights illuminating. When they were abeam the runway numbers, they added 10° of flaps and increased that to 25° on the base leg. The pilot said that due to winds, he told the CFI he was only going to land with 25° of flaps. As the airplane crossed the runway numbers, the engine power was reduced to idle with an airspeed of about 90 mph. He said he tried to hold the airplane off the runway as long as he could and touched down on the 1,000ft runway marker. He classified the touchdown as "smooth", did not hear the stall warning horn and did not feel any bangs or bumps. He said that after touchdown they rolled about 1,000ft down the runway while retracting flaps to the 0°position by using the flap control lever located on the floor between the seats. After retracting the flaps, he applied full power to initiate the takeoff and shortly thereafter, he recalled the CFI saying something to him, but he could not remember what was said, and noticed the right wing "digging into the grass." The pilot was unable to remember the position of the landing gear handle prior to the initiation of the accident sequence.

The airplane came to rest on its belly off the right side of the runway, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. Both propellers exhibited signs consistent with the production of power. The aft portion of the fuselage was buckled with signatures of oil canning. The right wing was bent upward, consistent with spar damage. All three landing gear doors were absent of damage. The tires were fully retracted into their respective wheel wells with no abnormal markings or signs of damage. The right flap rail exhibited damage (flat filing) consistent with pavement contact. There was no trailing edge damage to the flap. The angle of the damage to the flap rail was consistent with the flaps being fully retracted at the time of impact.

In a written statement provided by the CFI, he wrote that a normal roundout and flare was performed with a normal landing on the centerline of runway 23R. After touchdown, the airplane slowed to about 30 mph, the flaps were fully retracted and full throttle was applied. He said that as the airplane began to generate lift, and the weight was removed from the landing gear, the gear appeared to retract and the right wing and propeller made contact with the runway, stopping the right engine. He stated that after engine stoppage, the pilot applied back pressure to the yoke and the airplane began gaining altitude before starting a bank to the right. At this time, he (CFI) retarded the throttles and pushed the nose of the airplane down, while leveling the wings. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and slid to a stop. After immediately exiting the airplane, he went back inside to retrieve personal effects and noticed the landing gear control handle in the "down" position.

When asked to describe the accident flight in as much detail as possible, the CFI stated that when abeam mid-field on the downwind leg, the landing gear was extended and three green lights were observed, indicating the landing gear was down and locked. He said the power was reduced to 15" manifold pressure, the propellers were put to the full forward position, mixture was set to rich and flaps were set to 10°. When the airplane was abeam the landing point, a normal descent was initiated. When on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the flaps were increased to 25° and a landing check was conducted which confirmed the mixture was full rich, propellers were full forward and the three landing gear position indicator lights were illuminated green. After alignment with the runway centerline, a final landing check was completed which again confirmed the landing gear was down and locked. "Upon assurance of a safe landing," the flaps were set to 40° and an approach speed of 105 mph was flown.

The CFI stated that he was unable to see the position of the landing gear handle from the right seat when the pilot-in-command's (PIC) hand was on the throttle quadrant. While taking off, once the airspeed reached 85 mph, he transitioned his attention from inside the cockpit to outside the cockpit. He said that due to the noise from the engines and the use of a noise cancelling headset, it was his belief that it was not possible to hear the hydraulic pump running.

According to the Piper Seneca Pilot's Operating Manual, the landing gear can only retract when the gear handle is in the "up" position and the oleo strut is extended in excess of eight inches. When this extension occurs, the safety switch that precludes gear retraction when the airplane is on the ground closes, to complete the circuit, so the hydraulic pump can raise the landing gear when the gear selector handle is moved to the "UP" position. A micro switch is incorporated into the throttle quadrant that will activate a warning horn if the landing gear selector is in the "UP" position when the airplane is on the ground. Neither pilot stated that they heard this warning horn.

The operating manual contains procedures for normal, short field and soft field takeoffs. All three procedures state that the landing gear should be retracted when a gear-down landing is no longer possible on the runway. The normal takeoff procedure states: "When obstacle clearance is no problem, a normal takeoff may be used. Accelerate to 80-85 mph and ease back on the wheel enough to let the airplane lift off. After lift-off, accelerate to the best rate of climb speed (105 mph) or higher if desired, retracting the landing gear when a gear-down landing is no longer possible on the runway."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B) states in part: "Once a positive rate of climb is established, the pilot should retract the flaps and landing gear (if equipped)."

When the airplane was removed from the grass, it was placed on a trailer with the landing gear still retracted. On July 16, the airplane was placed on jacks and electrical power was applied, the gear subsequently extended as designed. The handle was then placed in the "UP" position and the landing gear retracted in about 6 seconds. This procedure was repeated with the same results. The jacks were removed, and the airplane remained on its landing gear. During the examination, no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.