Piper PA-28RT-201 N8308Y accident near Mesquite, Texas

Probable cause

The failure of the right landing gear to fully extend, due to a combination of corrosion, inadequate lubrication, and a misadjusted gear-down limit switch. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform the emergency landing gear extension checklist in the pilot operating handbook.

NTSB analysis

After extending the landing gear for his 5th practice landing, the pilot noted that the right main landing gear light only intermittently illuminated. After two pilots in other airplanes indicated that the accident airplane’s main landing gear appeared to be extended, the accident pilot decided to land without accomplishing emergency procedure checklist items. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed that the right main landing gear had not fully extended due to a combination of corrosion, inadequate lubrication, and a misadjusted gear-down limit switch. The misadjusted limit switch deactivated hydraulic pressure to the landing gear system before the gear could reach a down and locked condition, and the corrosion and lack of lubrication prevented full extension of the landing gear without the aid of hydraulic pressure.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN12FA425 for the full record.