Piper PA 30 N8674Y accident near Vero Beach, Florida

Probable cause

The collapse of all three landing gear for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot reported that, after a local flight, he returned to his home airport and entered the right base leg of the airport traffic pattern for landing. Due to traffic ahead of him, the pilot extended the landing gear early to decrease airspeed. He confirmed that the landing gear were extended by seeing the green light indication in the cockpit and by using the reflective mirror on the left engine nacelle to see that the nose landing gear (NLG) was extended. On short final approach, the pilot again confirmed that the landing gear were extended, and the airplane touched down near the touchdown markings. The pilot added that, after about 500 ft of landing roll, the NLG collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage.

Examination of the wreckage revealed that all three landing gear had collapsed. Further examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although the main landing extension rods were found bent, no anomalies or damage was found that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear. Therefore, the reason for the landing gear collapse could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA18LA171 for the full record.