Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On September 8, 1995, at 1635 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA- 23, N2291P, landed in the grass beside the runway at Greeley Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado. The commercial pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this 14 CFR Part 91 local area personal flight and no flight plan was filed.

According to the airport manager, the pilot called UNICOM and reported that he had no down and locked indication on his nose landing gear. Persons on the ground observed that all three landing gear appeared to be down. The airport manager said that it was suggested to the pilot that he check the light bulb and circle until the fire department arrived. The pilot responded in the affirmative and then proceeded to land in the grass area between the runway and taxiway. The damage to the aircraft occurred during landing roll in the grass area which was rough and uneven.

During landing roll, the landing gear remained in the down and locked position; however, the rough terrain caused the left wing and engine to contact the ground damaging the wing, engine, and propeller.

Examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed a short in the nose landing gear down and a locked micro switch.

According to the POH (pilot operating handbook), in the event the nose landing gear does not extend or indicates unsafe, a normal full flap landing should be made and the nose landing gear should be held off the ground as long as possible. THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY INADVERTENTLY SELECTING A LESS SUITABLE AREA FOR LANDING (THAN THE RUNWAY). FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: A MALFUNCTION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR MICRO-SWITCH, WHICH RESULTED IN A FALSE INDICATION THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT DOWN-AND-LOCKED, AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE SELECTED (GRASS) LANDING AREA BESIDE THE RUNWAY.