# Accident 20200418006909A: Piper PA-31-350, Candle, AK, April 18, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 2020, 14:29 local time
- Place: Candle, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 65.9078° N, 161.9264° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=65.9078&lon=-161.9264&mi=10
- Aircraft: N88TG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N88TG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 24,967 total, 12,330 in this make and model, 209 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC20CA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA044) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200418006909A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^  STATEMENT 4/21/2020:

?IFR FLIGHT PAFA-PABL THEN VFR TO AK75 (CANDLE).  WEATHER IMPROVED TO 10+ MILES VISIBILITY, BROKEN TO SCATTERED 2000 FT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT CANDLE THERE WAS SOME LOW CLOUDS IN THE VALLEY NEAR THE RUNWAY AND THERE WAS STANDING WATER ON THE RUNWAY DUE TO BREAK UP. DUE TO THE LINGERING CLOUDS IN THE VALLEY AND WINDS COMING OUT OF THE SOUTH I CHANGED MY PLAN AT THE LAST MINUTE AND CHOOSE TO GO STRAIGHT ON TO RUNWAY 20. I SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT AND SELECTED FIRST NOTCH OF FLAPS, THEN GEAR, AND FINALLY FULL FLAPS AS SPEED ALLOWED. I FAILED TO CONFIRM GEAR DOWN DUE TO CONCENTRATION ON THE RUNWAY AND AVOIDING THE STANDING WATER. AFTER LANDING FOUND GEAR HANDLE IN DOWN NEUTRAL POSITION BUT GEAR STILL IN WELLS. SUSPECT WHEN GEAR WAS SELECTED I DID NOT GET SELECTOR IN DOWN NEUTRAL WHEN I LET GO WITHOUT EXTENDING GEAR. ?

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC20CA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA044), Apr 18, 2020: Piper PA31 (N88TG), Buckland, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before landing due to distraction by the condition of the runway and his failure to use the Before Landing checklist.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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