Piper PA-30-39 accident near Greenville, North Carolina, August 20, 1998
On August 20, 1998 at about 5:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-30-39, registered N7298Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, North Carolina (Pitt-Greenville Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loose wiring connection at the landing gear motor relay that prevented the electrical extension of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1998 · about 5:28 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, North Carolina · Pitt-Greenville Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30-39 · all PA-30-39s on the register
- Registration
- N7298Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that at 1300, they had completed the photo mission and were returning home. When the flight was within 10 miles of the airport, the pilot initiated a letdown from 8000 feet. To facilitate the descent, the pilot elected to lowered the landing gear. When he placed the gear handle in the down position there was no response. Several attempts by the pilot to lower the landing gear, failed. Once the pilot realized that efforts to lower the landing gear were not yielding positive results, he elected to execute a gear-up landing. The airplane touched down and stopped on the runway. Emergency equipment was also available for the landing. Examination of the airplane disclosed that the landing gear motor solenoid control wire had an intermittent terminal connection under the rubber insulation boot on the solenoid. According to the maintenance manual, this condition would not allow the solenoid to close and run the landing gear motor.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 8,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,597 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1998; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGV at 3:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,997 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:28 pm from RDU, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.