Diversion to alternate in PA-24 during a night operation. Emergency gear up landing.

Attributes
ACN	279998
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ssf
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eri
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	279998
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

180 mph -- retarded throttles to 22 inches 2500 FPM began descent at 170 mph. Windshield exploded inward -- stunned pilot. Regained situational awareness at approximately 300 ft AGL, 140 degree bank, 40 degree dive. Pushed elevator and rolled right. Upon reaching level roll attitude, pulled approximately G's aircraft would then fly at 152 mph only aircraft hand windshield gone, door completely open. Pilot 80 percent to blinded by blood, plexiglass, fiberglass insulation -- (from control panel, which was partially destroyed) extreme elevator flutter from disrupted airflow. Pilot headed for ssf at approximately 300 ft AGL, 152 mph. Pilot executed 2 complete 360's over ssf trying to extend landing gear. Normal extension produced partial landing gear extension -- emergency extension was frozen. Full weight of pilot failed to extend gear. After 2ND 360 degree turn, pilot elected to land gear up. Damage minimal. Slight sheetmetal damage to underside of fuselage, windshield on pilot's side destroyed, propeller curled approximately 18 inches back from tips. Owner of aircraft under suspicion of falsification of documents. Pilot's injuries minor. No post flight fire or complications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE IN PA-24 DURING A NIGHT OP. EMER GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: 180 MPH -- RETARDED THROTTLES TO 22 INCHES 2500 FPM BEGAN DSCNT AT 170 MPH. WINDSHIELD EXPLODED INWARD -- STUNNED PLT. REGAINED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AT APPROX 300 FT AGL, 140 DEG BANK, 40 DEG DIVE. PUSHED ELEVATOR AND ROLLED R. UPON REACHING LEVEL ROLL ATTITUDE, PULLED APPROX G'S ACFT WOULD THEN FLY AT 152 MPH ONLY ACFT HAND WINDSHIELD GONE, DOOR COMPLETELY OPEN. PLT 80 PERCENT TO BLINDED BY BLOOD, PLEXIGLASS, FIBERGLASS INSULATION -- (FROM CTL PANEL, WHICH WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED) EXTREME ELEVATOR FLUTTER FROM DISRUPTED AIRFLOW. PLT HEADED FOR SSF AT APPROX 300 FT AGL, 152 MPH. PLT EXECUTED 2 COMPLETE 360'S OVER SSF TRYING TO EXTEND LNDG GEAR. NORMAL EXTENSION PRODUCED PARTIAL LNDG GEAR EXTENSION -- EMER EXTENSION WAS FROZEN. FULL WT OF PLT FAILED TO EXTEND GEAR. AFTER 2ND 360 DEG TURN, PLT ELECTED TO LAND GEAR UP. DAMAGE MINIMAL. SLIGHT SHEETMETAL DAMAGE TO UNDERSIDE OF FUSELAGE, WINDSHIELD ON PLT'S SIDE DESTROYED, PROP CURLED APPROX 18 INCHES BACK FROM TIPS. OWNER OF ACFT UNDER SUSPICION OF FALSIFICATION OF DOCUMENTS. PLT'S INJURIES MINOR. NO POST FLT FIRE OR COMPLICATIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.