# NTSB CEN16LA189: Piper PA 31P, N192CS, Killeen, TX, April 30, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 30, 2016, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Killeen, TX - Coordinates: 31.085832, -97.686386 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.0858&lon=-97.6864&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 3, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 93196 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA189 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93196/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93196 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA189 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear due to his distraction with the flaps, his misinterpretation of the landing gear warning horn, and his failure to verify that the landing gear were down, which resulted in a landing with the gear retracted. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-31P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=7103120), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-31P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7103120), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-31P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7103120), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot had departed on the business flight but decided to return to the airport to wait for the weather to improve. He indicated that, on approach, he lowered the flaps to 15° to slow the airplane to within "gear down speed." The pilot noticed that the flaps continued past 15°, and he took his hand off the landing gear lever and raised the flaps back up to the fully retracted position. The pilot overshot the runway on the turn to final. As he attempted to align the airplane with the runway centerline, he heard a warning horn, which he thought was the stall warning horn. He then landed on the runway with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage frame and stringers. After the accident, the pilot stated he had mistaken the gear-up warning horn for the stall warning horn. The pilot also said he did not visually check the landing gear indicator lights or look at the mirrors to verify the landing gear was down. ## Factual narrative On April 30, 2016, about 0930 central daylight time (CDT), a Piper PA-31 airplane, N192CS, landed with its gear retracted at Skylark Field Airport (KILE), Killeen, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage frame and stringers. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to Bunkie Bird, LLC and was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. According to the pilot, the weather reported on the automated terminal information system stated that there were 1,200 ft ceilings. However, when he took off he noticed "considerable weather" along his intended route of flight . He contacted approach control and stated that he wanted to return to his departure airport to "wait out the weather." On approach, the pilot lowered the flaps to 15° to slow the airplane to within "gear down speed." He noticed that the flaps continued past 15° and he took his hand off the landing gear lever and raised the flaps back up to the fully retracted position. The pilot had overshot the runway on his turn to final. As he attempted to align the airplane with the runway centerline he heard a warning horn and thought it was the stall warning horn. He then landed on the runway with the landing gear retracted. After the accident, the pilot stated he had mistaken the gear up warning horn for the stall warning horn. The pilot also said he did not visually check the landing gear indicator lights or look at the mirrors to verify the landing gear was down. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N192CS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N192CS), registered now, S/N 31P-7300138, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 31P (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Piper PA-31P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31p) (registry code 7103120) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIGO-541SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tigo-541ser) (registry code 41539, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31P-7300138 - Year built: 1973 - Engines: LYCOMING TIGO-541SER 400 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING TIGO-541SER 400 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: ILE, Killeen, TX - Destination: ILE, Killeen, TX - Airport: ILE, Skylark Field, runway 01, 5,495 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,300 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 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 20160430007949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160430007949A), Apr 30, 2016: Piper PA-31P, Killeen, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot departed Killeen airport (kile) for VFR flight to el paso airport (kelp). Weather was overcast with winds from northwest at 12 knots visibility at 10… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93196. 113 KB in all. - Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 113 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483586&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-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.