# Accident 20251019017889A: Piper PA-24-250, Eau Claire, WI, October 19, 2025 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 19, 2025, 17:20 local time - Place: Eau Claire, WI - Airport: Chippewa Valley Regional - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 44.8702° N, 91.4773° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8702&lon=-91.4773&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5865P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5865P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 162 total, 40 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA025) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251019017889A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. TOWER INSTRUCTED HIM TO ENTER A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 22 EVEN THOUGH THE WINDS WERE FAVORING RUNWAY 32. THE PIC NOTED THAT THE WINDS WERE REPORTED AT 18-35 KNOTS AROUND 300 AT KEAU. THE PIC ENTERED THE DOWNWIND AT 2000 FEET AND NOTED THE WINDS WERE VERY STRONG AT THAT ALTITUDE. THE PIC RECEIVED HIS CLEARANCE TO LAND AND PERFORMED HIS FULL PRE-LANDING CHECK BUT DOES NOT RECALL SEEING THE LIGHT ON FOR THE GEAR TO BE DOWN BUT DID FEEL THE GEAR DOWN IN HIS PEDALS. THE PIC WAS PERFORMING A SLIP APPROACH FOR LANDING, AND IT WAS GOING VERY WELL. AT AROUND 150-200 FEET BEFORE LANDING, THE PIC HEARD A CONVERSATION THAT TOWER WAS HAVING WITH ANOTHER PILOT. RIGHT AS THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING THE PIC FELT A BUMP, NOT LIKE A BELLY LANDING BUT RATHER SOMETHING DIFFERENT LIKE THE WHEELS TOUCHING DOWN BUT WHEN THE PIC FLARED THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN ON ITS BELLY. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT INTO THE GRASS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. 10/19/2025 INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT FOUND THE AIRCRAFT JUST OFF THE RUNWAY IN THE GRASS SETTING ON ITS BELLY. MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS HANGING DOWN JUST BELOW THE WHEEL WELLS IN THE GRASS. LEFT WING HAD STRUCK A RUNWAY LIGHT AND LEFT A SMALL DENT NEAR THE WING ROOT, PROP STRIKE WAS ALSO NOTED. MECHANIC ON SCENE WHO RECOVERED THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MANUALLY EXTENDED LANDING GEAR TO BE ABLE TO MOVE IT OFF THE RUNWAY NOTED THAT THE GEAR SWITCH WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. 11/03/2025 AIRCRAFT BROUGHT INTO THE HANGER TO BE JACKED AND PERFORM A GEAR SWING. BELLY DAMAGE THAT WAS NOTED WAS MOSTLY SUPERFICIAL SKIN DAMAGE WITH ONE, POSSIBLY TWO BELLY FRAMES THAT MAY NEED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED BETWEEN THE MAIN WHEEL WELLS. NO APPARENT FIREWALL DAMAGE WAS NOTED WITH JUST SOME SUPERFICIAL FUSELAGE DAMAGE FORWARD OF THE WINGS AND NO FUSELAGE DAMAGE AFT OF THE WINGS. AIRCRAFT WAS JACKED, LANDING GEAR LINK WAS REACTIVATED AFTER THE ALTERNAT EXTENSION TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY. FOUND LANDING GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. REST THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND PERFORMED LANDING GEAR RETRACTION AND EXTENSION FIVE SEPARATE TIMES WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. WARNING HORNS AND LIGHT WORKED AS OUTLINED IN THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL. INSPECTION OF THE GEAR MOTOR AND LINKAGE FOUND NO DAMAGE, WELL LUBRICATED, AND APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. ## 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 CEN26LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA025), Oct 19, 2025: Piper PA-24-250 (N5865P), Eau Claire, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was properly extended before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s unfamiliarity with the landing gear warning horn and failure to… ## Other reports on N5865P (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19781001030679I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781001030679I), Oct 1, 1978: Piper PA24250 (N5865P), Viroqua, WI, Minor damage. Pilot making unscheduled landing to secure the cabin door, failed to extend the landing gear before touchdown. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.