# NTSB CEN24LA060: Piper PA-24-260, N8729P, Anthony, KS, December 12, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 11, 2023, 19:30 local (Dec 12, 2023, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Anthony, KS - Coordinates: 37.159899, -98.079526 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1599&lon=-98.0795&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report October 22, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 193514 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA060 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193514/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193514 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA060 ## Probable cause A failure of the airplane’s alternator, which resulted in a loss of electrical power, and the pilot’s failure to use the emergency gear extension procedure during the initial landing approach, which led to a gear-up landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Electrical power system: alternator-generator drive sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022410/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the night flight, the airplane’s interior lighting dimmed and he used a flashlight to view the instrument panel. He selected the landing gear down and mistook the reflection from the flashlight as a gear down indication. When he was about to touch down, the propeller tips contacted the runway and the pilot applied power to go around. During the go-around, the pilot used the emergency gear extension procedure to lower the landing gear; however, the airplane was not able to maintain altitude and he executed a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane struck power lines, impacted the field, and slid into large round hay bales that were in the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane determined that the alternator was not supplying any charge to the battery. The pilot noted that during the initial approach, he should have used the manual gear extension procedure to ensure that the landing gear was in the down position. The reduced performance of the engine/propeller combination after the propeller blades made runway contact likely led to the airplane’s inability to maintain altitude during the go-around. ## Factual narrative On December 11, 2023, about 1930 central standard time, a Piper PA24-260, N8729P, was involved in an accident near Anthony, Kansas. The pilot received serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to retrieve the airplane following its annual inspection. The flight was conducted at night; as the airplane approached the destination airport, the airplane’s interior lighting dimmed and the pilot used a flashlight to view the instrument panel. He selected the landing gear down and mistook the reflection from the flashlight as a gear down indication. When he was about to touch down, the propeller tips contacted the runway and the pilot applied power to go around. During the go-around, the pilot used the emergency gear extension procedure to lower the landing gear, but the airplane was not able to maintain altitude and he executed a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane struck power lines, impacted the field, and slid into large round hay bales that were in the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. In his report, the pilot noted that during the initial approach he should have used the manual gear extension procedure to ensure that the landing gear was in the down position. Postaccident examination of the airplane determined that the airplane’s alternator was not supplying any charge to the battery. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8729P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8729P), registered now, S/N 24-4179, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-260 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (registry code 7102406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-4179 - Year built: 1965 - Airframe hours: 5032 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2023, 2 hours before - Departed: AKO, Akron, CO - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: ANY, Anthony Muni, runway 18, 5,002 × 75 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 23, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 11,900 total, 46 in this make and model, 11,850 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 0.5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 180° at 5 knots - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: KEGT, 34 nm away - METAR: METAR KEGT 120015Z AUTO 18005KT 10SM CLR 07/M03 A3019 RMK AO2 T00701027= ## 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 20231211021419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231211021419A), Dec 11, 2023: Piper PA-24-260, Anthony, KS, Substantial damage. During landing phase, aircraft propeller struck runway due to landing gear not down and locked. Pilot attempted go around, aircraft struck electrical power… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193514. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 7.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19248789&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Additional pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19249018&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N8729P%20PILOT%20REPORT_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19249321&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ICT%20FSDO%208020-2%20FAA%20Inspector%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19249411&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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. --- 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.