Probable cause
Maintenance personnel’s improper securing of an unused instrument lamp socket during recent maintenance, which resulted in an electrical short of the landing gear controls and stopped the landing gear while it was transitioning to the down position and led to the landing gear collapse.
NTSB analysis
While conducting touch-and-go landings and as the private pilot landed the airplane for the third time, the right main landing gear and nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing was partially separated from the airplane.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that maintenance personnel had improperly secured an unused instrument lamp socket during recent maintenance, which allowed an electrical short of the landing gear controls. The landing gear control circuit breaker tripped, which stopped the landing gear from fully extending while it was transitioning to the down position. It also rendered the landing gear indicators and warnings inoperative so the pilot was unaware the landing gear was not fully extended.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN17LA150 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 9, 2017
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan
- Nearest airport
- Oakland County Intl (PTK)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA 28R-201
- N-number
- N36458
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1978
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.