Piper PA-30 accident near Lawrence, Kansas, August 31, 2007
On August 31, 2007 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N22HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Kansas (Lawrence Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Total failure of the landing gear retraction/extension assembly. Contributing factors in this accident were worn parts in the landing gear retraction/extension assembly, and mechanical binding of the extension assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2007 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Kansas · Lawrence Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N22HW · no longer on the register · serial 30-791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he had made approximately 5 touch-and go landings at one airport before flying home. When he lowered the landing gear in preparation for landing, he noticed in the engine nacelle mirror that the landing gear was approximately one-third extended. The pilot departed the airport area to troubleshoot the problem. During his initial attempt at lowering the landing gear manually, he noticed that the main landing gear circuit breaker had tripped. After several attempts to extend the landing gear manually, it extended about two-thirds of the way. The pilot then "pushed the gear down entirely" and a GEAR SAFE annunciation was illuminated. He confirmed gear extension by seeing it in the engine nacelle mirror. The pilot landed the airplane but during the landing rollout, the right main landing gear collapsed. Post-accident examination revealed the right wing was scraped, and the aileron and flap were damaged and had to be replaced. In addition, the right main gear pushrod was bent and had pushed against and bent the support web in the wheel well. Further examination of the landing gear revealed many parts worn and beyond their service life.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,535 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,435 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,119 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2007; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOP Topeka KS
- Destination: LWC Lawrence KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from LWC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N22HW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.