What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 26, 2025, at approximately 1351 EDT, a Piper PA-44 aircraft, registered as N671MC, experienced a nose gear collapse during a training flight from Traverse City, Michigan. The flight was operated by a student pilot with an instructor pilot and one passenger, and it was conducted under the guidelines of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. Fortunately, neither the student pilot, the instructor, nor the passengers were injured.
The flight departed Traverse City at approximately 1333 EDT for a training exercise focusing on simulated one-engine inoperative (oei) approaches and short field landings. After a successful takeoff, the pilots contacted the tower and received permission to perform a stop-and-go on runway 28. Upon landing, the student pilot began to accidentally move the landing gear to the up position as the instructor was communicating with the tower. The instructor quickly intervened to prevent the student from fully retracting the gear. During this process, they noticed the "check gear" light illuminate and felt the nose gear collapse. Both propellers contacted the ground, and the aircraft came to a stop after approximately 15 feet.
The instructor and student pilot immediately notified the tower, fire rescue, and northwestern Michigan college, and began following emergency shutdown procedures. Emergency services arrived promptly, and all occupants safely exited the aircraft.
A preliminary review of the meteorological data at the time and location of the incident indicated no adverse weather conditions that might have contributed to the accident. Weather and meteorological conditions were not considered factors in the incident.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1351 EDT, A PIPER PA-44 AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED AS N671MC, EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT FROM TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY A STUDENT PILOT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER, AND IT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. FORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE STUDENT PILOT, THE INSTRUCTOR, NOR THE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED TRAVERSE CITY AT APPROXIMATELY 1333 EDT FOR A TRAINING EXERCISE FOCUSING ON SIMULATED ONE-ENGINE INOPERATIVE (OEI) APPROACHES AND SHORT FIELD LANDINGS. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF, THE PILOTS CONTACTED THE TOWER AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PERFORM A STOP-AND-GO ON RUNWAY 28. UPON LANDING, THE STUDENT PILOT BEGAN TO ACCIDENTALLY MOVE THE LANDING GEAR TO THE UP POSITION AS THE INSTRUCTOR WAS COMMUNICATING WITH THE TOWER. THE INSTRUCTOR QUICKLY INTERVENED TO PREVENT THE STUDENT FROM FULLY RETRACTING THE GEAR. DURING THIS PROCESS, THEY NOTICED THE "CHECK GEAR" LIGHT ILLUMINATE AND FELT THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. BOTH PROPELLERS CONTACTED THE GROUND, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET.
THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE TOWER, FIRE RESCUE, AND NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE, AND BEGAN FOLLOWING EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURES. EMERGENCY SERVICES ARRIVED PROMPTLY, AND ALL OCCUPANTS SAFELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.
A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THE METEOROLOGICAL DATA AT THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT INDICATED NO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. WEATHER AND METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE NOT CONSIDERED FACTORS IN THE INCIDENT.