Piper PA-34-200 accident near Kissimmee, Florida, August 21, 1997
On August 21, 1997 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N55322, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida (Kissimmee 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
a hard landing resulting in a wing contacting the runway. A factor in this accident was the nose landing gear would not extend due to the steering ball being off its track.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1997 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida · Kissimmee Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55322 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After departure the pilot noted that the 'gear unsafe warning light stayed on after [the] gear was retracted.' The pilot said he, 'checked and found [the] circuit breaker for [the] gear hydraulic motor popped.' He reset the circuit breaker and cycled the landing gear down, at which point he noted that 'only 2 green lights illuminated for the main gear.' The nose gear light was out. He then switched bulbs and determined that the bulb was 'good.' He then pulled the emergency gear extension with the gear handle in the down position and he said that he 'still only had 2 green lights for main gear.' The pilot circled the airport due to the problem he was having extending the nose landing gear, and was advised by the tower that that the nose gear appeared to be in midway position. He then made an approach and landing on runway 24. The airplane landed hard on the main landing gear, and a wing struck the ground. The airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was examined. The nose gear was extended by hand, it was revealed that the steering ball was outside of its track, causing the nose gear not extend.
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
- Flight time: 257 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 198 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,889 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1997; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,925 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming L/IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LEE Leesburg FL at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.