PA-28R Cherokee Arrow All Series
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 15000; Flight Crew Type 20
Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Gear Up Landing
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Maintenance Action
Procedure
[After picking up my plane from being painted]; I started to the checkout my plane; turned on the master and the hydraulic landing gear pump started running. I told [FBO] and they said they would get the Mechanic who had signed off the airplane to come and fix it. He came and got the pump to stop running by clearing off some paint. I asked him to check all three landing gear for paint and see that they were safe. He did check all three-landing gear. I did not check them myself since he is a mechanic. I wish I had. I took off and when I retracted the gear; the large red gear in transit light stayed on. This light means that the gear pump is running. The pump is made for intermittent use and not continuous running. I decided that I had to go back and get this fixed. I stayed in the pattern and cycled the gear two or three times on down wind and the left gear light would not come on. I decided to extend the gear with the emergency backup system. I pushed the lever that releases the trapped hydraulic fluid and the gear free falls down and locks. This plane has the auto gear extender and the gear comes down in slow flight and other maneuvers. I am used to the ways it sounds. I heard three loud distinctive clunks. I still did not have the left gear light on but I knew the gear was down. I thought the paint was fouling the switch.I made my approach and on flare I was ready to go around if I did not feel the left gear. Both wheels touched solidly on the ground so I did not go around. On roll out the left wing started to sink and the plane turned left in slow-motion. I applied right rudder and right aileron but it still kept sinking and turning left. I came to a stop with the engine running and the nose 5 to 7 ft. from the edge of the runway and the left wing was in the grass. I shut down the engine. The fire; police and Airport Manager all came out to check on me and find out how I was. [FBO1] Maintenance came out and got an engine hoist and hooked on the engine and lifted up the nose of the plane. With the hoist holding the weight; volunteers were able to pick up the wing to where the gear could fully extend and we could get if straight down. The mechanic could not get the latch to lock because of the paint. He called for his partner to get a pump handle from the engine hoist and got lock latched. We set the airplane back on it gear and I taxied it to the ramp. [FBO1] will assess the damage; but it looks like a flap; pitot probe and possibly aileron are damaged.
PA-28-201 pilot reported after the aircraft was painted there were problems with the gear hydraulic pump. This landing ended with the left gear retracting during roll out.