# NTSB CEN10CA311: Piper PA-44-180, N9290P, Okmulgee, OK, June 1, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 1, 2010, 09:55 local (14:55 UTC)
- Place: Okmulgee, OK
- Coordinates: 35.668056, -95.948608 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6681&lon=-95.9486&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 21, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 76273
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA311
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76273/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76273
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA311

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s inadvertent retraction of the nose landing gear and the flight instructor's delayed response.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

Following a practice instrument approach, the student pilot and flight instructor intended to perform a touch-and-go maneuver. During the landing roll the instructor informed the student to retract the airplane’s flaps; however, the student inadvertently moved the landing gear retraction/extension handle to the “up” position. Although the instructor moved the landing gear handle back to the “down” position, the airplane’s nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane continued down the runway about 240 feet before exiting the right side of the runway into the grass. The airplane came to rest in a nose-down position and all three occupants were able to exit unassisted. An examination of the airplane by maintenance personnel after the accident revealed that the right wing sustained structural damage. There were no reported anomalies with the airplane’s landing gear prior to the accident.

## Factual narrative

Following a practice instrument approach, the student pilot and flight instructor intended to perform a touch-and-go maneuver. During the landing roll the instructor informed the student to retract the twin-engine airplane’s flaps; however, the student inadvertently moved the landing gear retraction/extension handle to the “up” position. Although, the instructor moved the landing gear handle back to the “down” position, the airplane’s nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane continued down the runway about 240 feet before exiting the right side of the runway into the grass. The airplane came to rest in a nose down position and all three occupants were able to exit unassisted. An examination of the airplane by maintenance personnel after the accident revealed that the right wing sustained structural damage. There were no reported anomalies with the airplane’s landing gear prior to the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9290P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9290P), registered now, S/N 4496019, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-44-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (registry code 7104402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 4496019
- Airframe hours: 7383
- Engines: LYCOMING LO-360-A1HD 180 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING O-360-A1HD 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Spartan Aviation Industries Inc
- Registered owner: Spartan Aviation Industries Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, April 5, 2010
- Departed: RVS, Tulsa, OK
- Destination: OKM, Okmulgee, OK
- Airport: OKM, Okmulgee Regional, runway 18, 5,150 × 100 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 29; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 25, 2010; seat: right; flight hours: 1,335 total, 86 in this make and model, 1,108 as pilot in command, 91 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg

## 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 20100601041049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100601041049A), Jun 1, 2010: Piper PA-44-180, Okmulgee, OK, Substantial damage. The aircraft was on an instruction flight doing a practice ILS approach. Upon landing the crew elected to do a touch and go. The student pilot inadvertantly…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 23, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76273. 1.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333553&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF

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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