# NTSB CEN11CA461: Piper PA-24-180, N5621P, Amarillo, TX, July 4, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 4, 2011, 16:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place: Amarillo, TX
- Coordinates: 35.219444, -101.705833 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2194&lon=-101.7058&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 20, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Adminstration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 81033
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA461
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81033/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81033
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA461

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing.

## Findings

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

- [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=7102403), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7102403), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, he was preoccupied with flying duties and forgot to lower the landing gear prior to landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage during the landing. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

When the airplane was landed at the destination airport, the pilot was preoccupied with flying duties and forgot to lower the airplane's landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. An inspection of the airplane revealed no malfunctions or anomalies which would have precluded the normal operation of the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5621P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5621P-2017-09-18), registration cancelled 2017-09-18, S/N 24-690, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-180) (registry code 7102403) (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: 24-690
- Engines: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Duvall Gene A
- Registered owner: Duvall Gene A
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: T94, San Antonio, TX
- Destination: AMA, Amarillo, TX
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: AMA, Rick Husband Amarillo, runway 22, 13,502 × 200 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 130° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: KAMA

## 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 20110704025079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110704025079A), Jul 4, 2011: Piper PA-24-180, Amarillo, TX, Substantial damage. 07/05/11 - Pilot landed with gear up. During interview by inspector the pilot stated that he was distracted with other piloting duties.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81033. 23 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 not obtained (item 1, .PDF, 20 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353504&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20not%20obtained-Master.PDF
- Reports from Federal Agencies: Statement from FAA inspector (item 2, .PDF, 3 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353503&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%3A%20Statement%20from%20FAA%20inspector-Master.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.

---
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.