N8674YPiper PA-30 · 1969

On June 17, 2018, about 1120 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N8674Y, was substantially damaged while landing at Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB), Vero Beach, Florida. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated by the private pilot as personal flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed VRB about 1040.The pilot reported that after a local flight, he returned to VRB and entered the right base leg of the airport traffic pattern for landing on runway 4. Due to traffic ahead of him, the pilot extended the landing gear early to decrease airspeed. He confirmed that the landing gear was extended via the green light indication in the cockpit and by utilizing the reflective mirror on the left engine nacelle to see the nosegear extended. The pilot again confirmed that the landing gear was extended on short final approach and the airplane touched down near the touchdown markings. After about 500 feet of landing roll, the nosegear collapsed and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway.

Initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that all three landing gear were collapsed. The inspector also noted substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The airplane was subsequently recovered to a hangar and placed on jacks. A mechanic examined the airplane for the purpose of providing a repair estimate to the insurance adjuster. During the examination, no anomalies or damage were found to the landing gear system, with the exception of bent main landing gear extension rods.

The recorded weather at VRB, at 1153, included wind from 030° at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles and clear sky.