Piper PA-24-250

Full Narrative

On August 13, 2008 approximately 1850 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-2560, N6265P, pilot by a private pilot, was destroyed when the nose landing gear collapsed on landing and the airplane caught fire at Grider Field (PBF), Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The local flight originated at PBF approximately 1815.

According to the pilot's accident report, the landing gear was down and locked and the green GEAR SAFE light was illuminated. After the airplane touched down and the nose settled, the pilot heard the propeller strike the runway. The airplane skidded approximately 300 feet, then the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt. The pilot exited the airplane. Shortly thereafter, as he walked back towards the airplane, he heard a "pop" and saw a small fire under the firewall and in front of the wing. The airplane became engulfed in flames. The cockpit and cabin area was completely gutted.

A mechanic who examined the airplane wrote, "I am unable to give any reliable assessment as to the cause of the landing gear failure due to the amount of fire damage."