Narrative:

Den approach control provided vectors to runway 26 final inside the 30 NM class B ring and stopped service approximately 6 NM final with airport reported in sight. Runway 26 lights turned on using CTAF and call made to ftg traffic with no replies. Final gump performed; including confirming fuel on mains; fuel pumps on; gear handle to down; propellers full forward and mixture increased slightly. Flaps were extended to 20 degrees. A short discussion ensued with my father; in the right seat; whereby he asked if I'd felt the gear go down. He'd asked the same before at sda and I couldn't say with certainty that I'd felt the lock; so I was prepared for the question this time. I'd certainly felt the gear go down; but the lock was more subtle. Other confirmations of gear extension included a pitch change and an increase in descent rate -- bringing the approach briefly below the VASI; which was corrected with slight power increase. We verbally confirmed the gear was down to each other. My twin training was in an apache (PA23) -- the predecessor to the twin comanche -- and the gear sensations; including lock; were much more distinct. Also; the apache had 3 green lights while the PA30 only has 1. Landing was approximately 1000-1500 ft from threshold; with minimal braking. Landing was a roll-on with no sounds of touchdown. After approximately 1500-2000 ft of rollout; with speeds down to a fast taxi (30-35 KTS); the left main collapsed and the left propeller was curling. The right did the same a second or two later. While sliding; I pulled the entire power quadrant -- throttles; propellers; then mixture. Aircraft slid approximately 800 ft to a stop at the right side of runway 26. Due to smell of burning (rubber); all switches and electrical power were turned off. After about 1 min; smell subsided and I turned on the master and navcom #1 and made 2 blind calls on guard (the narco radios start up on 121.5) informing of gear collapse; with no responses. Radio and master turned off. Aircraft was evacuate/evacuationed. TRACON and FSS both called my cell before evacuate/evacuation was complete. They notamed the runway closed. Emergency response from county sheriff and crash fire rescue equipment arrived within 5 mins. There were no injuries. Aircraft was removed from runway. Pictures and measurements were taken by the sheriff; who was given the investigation authority/authorized by the FAA and NTSB. Perhaps there's a design defect in the wiring of the 3 gear lock switches to a single light that allowed one of the locks to be 'bad' yet still allow the green indication.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA30 PLT HAS THE LNDG GEAR COLLAPSE AFTER LNDG AT FTG.

Narrative: DEN APCH CTL PROVIDED VECTORS TO RWY 26 FINAL INSIDE THE 30 NM CLASS B RING AND STOPPED SVC APPROX 6 NM FINAL WITH ARPT RPTED IN SIGHT. RWY 26 LIGHTS TURNED ON USING CTAF AND CALL MADE TO FTG TFC WITH NO REPLIES. FINAL GUMP PERFORMED; INCLUDING CONFIRMING FUEL ON MAINS; FUEL PUMPS ON; GEAR HANDLE TO DOWN; PROPS FULL FORWARD AND MIXTURE INCREASED SLIGHTLY. FLAPS WERE EXTENDED TO 20 DEGS. A SHORT DISCUSSION ENSUED WITH MY FATHER; IN THE R SEAT; WHEREBY HE ASKED IF I'D FELT THE GEAR GO DOWN. HE'D ASKED THE SAME BEFORE AT SDA AND I COULDN'T SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT I'D FELT THE LOCK; SO I WAS PREPARED FOR THE QUESTION THIS TIME. I'D CERTAINLY FELT THE GEAR GO DOWN; BUT THE LOCK WAS MORE SUBTLE. OTHER CONFIRMATIONS OF GEAR EXTENSION INCLUDED A PITCH CHANGE AND AN INCREASE IN DSCNT RATE -- BRINGING THE APCH BRIEFLY BELOW THE VASI; WHICH WAS CORRECTED WITH SLIGHT PWR INCREASE. WE VERBALLY CONFIRMED THE GEAR WAS DOWN TO EACH OTHER. MY TWIN TRAINING WAS IN AN APACHE (PA23) -- THE PREDECESSOR TO THE TWIN COMANCHE -- AND THE GEAR SENSATIONS; INCLUDING LOCK; WERE MUCH MORE DISTINCT. ALSO; THE APACHE HAD 3 GREEN LIGHTS WHILE THE PA30 ONLY HAS 1. LNDG WAS APPROX 1000-1500 FT FROM THRESHOLD; WITH MINIMAL BRAKING. LNDG WAS A ROLL-ON WITH NO SOUNDS OF TOUCHDOWN. AFTER APPROX 1500-2000 FT OF ROLLOUT; WITH SPDS DOWN TO A FAST TAXI (30-35 KTS); THE L MAIN COLLAPSED AND THE L PROP WAS CURLING. THE R DID THE SAME A SECOND OR TWO LATER. WHILE SLIDING; I PULLED THE ENTIRE PWR QUADRANT -- THROTTLES; PROPS; THEN MIXTURE. ACFT SLID APPROX 800 FT TO A STOP AT THE R SIDE OF RWY 26. DUE TO SMELL OF BURNING (RUBBER); ALL SWITCHES AND ELECTRICAL PWR WERE TURNED OFF. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN; SMELL SUBSIDED AND I TURNED ON THE MASTER AND NAVCOM #1 AND MADE 2 BLIND CALLS ON GUARD (THE NARCO RADIOS START UP ON 121.5) INFORMING OF GEAR COLLAPSE; WITH NO RESPONSES. RADIO AND MASTER TURNED OFF. ACFT WAS EVACED. TRACON AND FSS BOTH CALLED MY CELL BEFORE EVAC WAS COMPLETE. THEY NOTAMED THE RWY CLOSED. EMER RESPONSE FROM COUNTY SHERIFF AND CFR ARRIVED WITHIN 5 MINS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM RWY. PICTURES AND MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN BY THE SHERIFF; WHO WAS GIVEN THE INVESTIGATION AUTH BY THE FAA AND NTSB. PERHAPS THERE'S A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE WIRING OF THE 3 GEAR LOCK SWITCHES TO A SINGLE LIGHT THAT ALLOWED ONE OF THE LOCKS TO BE 'BAD' YET STILL ALLOW THE GREEN INDICATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.