Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 10000; Flight Crew Type 900
Distraction; Time Pressure; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Aircraft
Was asked to relocate an aircraft. Aircraft just came out of paint shop; and was intended for export. Before flight was told by the owner that the gear was reported as having a leak in the gear but flew fine. Inspected aircraft for the leak but found no evidence of a leak; and aircraft just came out of annual. Owner operator was present throughout the preflight and process and was on board aircraft. Based on visual inspection and (exporter owner) owner's lack of concern and the recency of the annual inspection. It seemed reasonable that there was no problem and the aircraft was airworthy. However I did think it prudent to fly with the gear down to destination at reduced speed. Anyway after takeoff and out of habit I retracted the gear and immediately caught myself and reversed the gear handle to down. As soon as we turned crosswind the oil filler door popped open on the left engine; in consideration of the reduced cooling I decided to come around and land and close that door. After touch down and during roll out the left landing gear gave and retracted. The aircraft veered to the left as the left wing tip dragged on the pavement and slid off the runway and into the grass/sand and came to rest. There were no injuries or damage to the main structure. Pilot owner plus one passenger walked off without injury and unharmed. Lesson learned do not fly an unfamiliar aircraft if there is any reported or observed no matter however mild discrepancy till it was checked out by a mechanic. Certainly was a bad day.
After takeoff on a ferry flight; a PA-31 oil filler door opened so the piloted returned to the departure airport where the left landing gear collapsed. The aircraft was just released from a paint shop.