# NTSB ATL85LA161: Piper PA-24-250, N5844P, Savannah, GA, May 12, 1985

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 12, 1985, 13:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place: Savannah, GA
- Location: 32.1276° N, 81.2021° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SAVANNAH/HILTON HEAD INTL (SAV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1276&lon=-81.2021&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 6795
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL85LA161
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/6795/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL85LA161

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Complete gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - wheels up landing - inadvertent, pilot in command
  - lack of recent total experience, pilot in command (cause)
  - checklist - not used, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE PLT LDG THE ACFT WITH THE LDG GEAR RETRACTED. HE STATED THAT HE EVIDENTLY FORGOT TO EXTEND THE GEAR.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5844P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5844P), registered now, S/N 24-925 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-925
- Airframe hours: 3120
- Engines: LYCOMING O-540-A1A5 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: William M. Wyatt
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 1985, 15 hours before
- Departed: 07J, EASTMAN, GA
- Destination: AVL, ASHVILLE, NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: SAV, Sanannah In'L, runway 9, 9,003 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,000 total, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,400 ft broken
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: SAV

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19850512016599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850512016599A), May 12, 1985: Piper PA24250, Savannah, GA, Substantial damage. Unable to use VOR receiver properly. Got lost, landed at savanah without calling tower. Forgot to extend the gear.

## Other investigations on N5844P (2)

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 CEN22LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA102), Jan 2, 2022: Piper PA-24-250 (N5844P), Grand Forks, ND, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the landing gear to properly extend before landing for reasons that could not be determined.
- [NTSB CHI04LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04LA101), Apr 6, 2004: Piper PA-24-250 (N5844P), Overland Park, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel calculations and the pilot's improper in-flight decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors were the trees and the night conditions.

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.

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