Piper PA-31T accident near Bismarck, North Dakota, May 4, 2005
On May 4, 2005 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N2338V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bismarck, North Dakota (Bismarck Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Rupture of the hydraulic powerpak drain line which resulted in a loss of hydraulic fluid and the inability to properly lower the landing gear despite the pilot's execution of the emergency extension procedures. A contributing factor was the runway light struck during the emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2005 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Bismarck, North Dakota · Bismarck Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2338V · registry record · serial 31T-8020049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during an emergency landing when the landing gear did not extend properly. The pilot noted that when he attempted to lower the landing gear on approach to the intended destination nothing happened. He elected to divert to an airport with additional capabilities and assistance available. The pilot stated that he executed the emergency gear extension procedure, however, this procedure was not successful. The left main landing gear appeared to be fully extended, the nose landing gear was in a "dragging" condition, and the right main landing gear was retracted when observed by the tower controller prior to landing. The pilot noted that the red gear unlocked indicator light was illuminated and the green landing gear down/locked indicators were not illuminated. Since no further options were available to extend the gear, the pilot executed an emergency landing. The airplane touched down on the left main wheel which did not collapse initially. The right wing subsequently dropped and contacted the runway. The pilot applied left wheel brakes, however, the airplane departed the right side of the runway pavement and came to rest in the grass. The left main landing gear collapsed and a runway light was damaged in the process. The post-accident inspection revealed that a hydraulic powerpak drain line (Piper part number 46138-00) was ruptured. The drain line was located in the nose section of the airplane, forward of the cabin pressure bulkhead. The rupture was approximately one-half inch long. Hydraulic fluid was observed in the vicinity of the line rupture. The hydraulic reservoir was empty.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI05LA109.