Piper PA34 N328RG accident near Kingman, Kansas

Probable cause

The malfunction of the landing gear extension system for reasons that could not be determined with the available evidence.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was on a personal flight when, during final approach for landing, the gear unsafe warning horn sounded. The pilot made a go-around when he saw the gear safe indicator lights were not illuminated. The pilot verified, with another pilot on the ground, that the landing gear were not extended after several attempts to extend the landing gear, including using the emergency extension procedure. The pilot then made a wheels-up landing on the runway, during which the airplane’s lower fuselage structural longerons were substantially damaged.

After the accident, the landing gear extended into the down-and-locked position when the airplane was hoisted off the runway surface using a crane and straps. Postaccident examination and testing revealed no issues with the normal landing gear extension/retraction system or the emergency extension procedure. The investigation was unable to duplicate the pilot’s report that he was unable to extend the landing gear using the normal and/or emergency procedures during the flight. The reason for the malfunction of the landing gear extension system could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN19LA315 for the full record.