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20250821015029I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Long Beach, CA · August 21, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 21, 2025 · 17:50 local
Place
Long Beach, CA
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N75RV
Reported as
Piper PA-34-200T
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,033 total
N75RVRegistered now · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-7570188Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200TEngine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On August 21, 2025, at approximately 1750 local time, a Piper PA34-200T was operating under part 91 flight from ksjc to klgb. While on approach to land, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear, but no green light illuminated for the nose landing gear. The pilot was about one mile final and notified the control tower of the issue. The tower requested a fly-by for a visual check. However, the pilot used the aircraft's mirror on the left engine cowling to confirm that the nose landing gear had not extended. The pilot declared an emergency and climb to 4,000 feet and circled around the airport while performing emergency check for landing gear failure. The pilot performed emergency checklist cycles several times and tried to rock the wings and pump the rudder pedals, but the nose landing gear remained retracted. The pilot advised the control tower they will be performing landing with gear retracted. The pilot and the passenger were able to evacuate the aircraft safely and without injury.

As the FAA filed it

ON AUGUST 21, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1750 LOCAL TIME, A PIPER PA34-200T WAS OPERATING UNDER PART 91 FLIGHT FROM KSJC TO KLGB. WHILE ON APPROACH TO LAND, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR, BUT NO GREEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT WAS ABOUT ONE MILE FINAL AND NOTIFIED THE CONTROL TOWER OF THE ISSUE. THE TOWER REQUESTED A FLY-BY FOR A VISUAL CHECK. HOWEVER, THE PILOT USED THE AIRCRAFT'S MIRROR ON THE LEFT ENGINE COWLING TO CONFIRM THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR HAD NOT EXTENDED. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND CLIMB TO 4,000 FEET AND CIRCLED AROUND THE AIRPORT WHILE PERFORMING EMERGENCY CHECK FOR LANDING GEAR FAILURE. THE PILOT PERFORMED EMERGENCY CHECKLIST CYCLES SEVERAL TIMES AND TRIED TO ROCK THE WINGS AND PUMP THE RUDDER PEDALS, BUT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR REMAINED RETRACTED. THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROL TOWER THEY WILL BE PERFORMING LANDING WITH GEAR RETRACTED. THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY AND WITHOUT INJURY.