# NTSB CEN22LA083: Piper PA-30, N19VS, Houston, TX, December 16, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 16, 2021, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Houston, TX
- Coordinates: 29.607333, -95.15875
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6073&lon=-95.1587&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: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104446
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA083
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104446/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104446
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA083

## Probable cause

The instructed pilot and the flight instructor’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing resulting in a wheels up landing.

## Findings

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

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/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-30, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor reported that he and the pilot receiving instruction and flying the airplane were returning to land after a multi-engine training flight. As the airplane touched down on the runway, they heard a scraping noise. The airplane settled onto its belly and came to a stop. The pilots exited the airplane and saw that the airplane’s landing gear was not extended. The flight instructor reentered the airplane and saw that the landing gear circuit breaker was popped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Functionality tests of the normal and emergency landing gear extension/retraction systems and landing gear configuration light did not reveal any anomalies. The flight instructor reported that there were no other preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N19VS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N19VS), registered now, S/N 30-144, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 30-144
- Year built: 1964
- Airframe hours: 8075
- Engines: Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Gardner James R
- Registered owner: Gardner James R
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 2021
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: EFD, Ellington Field, runway 17R, 9,001 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 78; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 26, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,576 total, 1,996 in this make and model, 72 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 20, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 287 total, 1 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: EFD, 20 nm away

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 15, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104446. 5.3 MB in all.

- Nstb form 6120 pilot operator report CEN22LA083 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13233591&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NSTB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN22LA083_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for the record landing gear funtionality findings CEN22LA083 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13233004&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Landing%20Gear%20Funtionality%20Findings%20CEN22LA083_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array CEN22LA083 (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 798 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13233655&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20CEN22LA083-Rel.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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