# NTSB CEN24LA086: Piper PA-44-180, N816AT, Fort Worth, TX, January 7, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 7, 2024, 05:10 local (11:10 UTC) - Place: Fort Worth, TX - Coordinates: 32.98764, -97.31881 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9876&lon=-97.3188&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: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 193629 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193629/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193629 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA086 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear and the flight instructor’s lack of recognition and inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a gear up landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incomplete action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 105 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md) - [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/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-44-180, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that he and the private pilot receiving instruction had just completed their seventh landing of the morning. The private pilot reduced the throttle on downwind and the landing gear warning horn sounded so he increased the throttle and continued in the traffic pattern. The flight instructor prompted him to extend the flaps and the student stated that he would extend the landing gear. They “confirmed 3 green,” which would indicate that the landing gear was down and locked. During the landing flare, “no gear warning horn was alarming,” but as they got closer to the ground the instructor observed sparks out of the left window. The airplane slid on the runway, came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage longerons. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector completed an extensive examination and functional testing of the landing gear system. With the airplane on jacks, he cycled the landing gear at least six times and determined the landing gear, warning annunciations and aural alerts operated per the procedures in the airplane’s maintenance manual and there were no anomalies found. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N816AT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N816AT), registered now, S/N 4496535, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-44-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (registry code 7104406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-B1G6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-b1g6) (registry code 41866, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4496535 - Year built: 2022 - Airframe hours: 692.7 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-B1G6 180 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-360-B1G6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: ATP Flight School - Registered owner: Seminole Aircraft LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 8, 2023 - Departed: GKY, Arlington, TX - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: AFW, Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance, runway 34R, 11,000 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 26, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 142.8 total, 28 in this make and model, 61.8 as pilot in command, 63.2 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 7.6 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 31; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 7, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 108.1 total, 121.7 in this make and model, 1,023.5 as pilot in command, 185.8 in the last 90 days, 51.8 in the last 30 days, 7.9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 170° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.08 inHg - Observed at: KAFW - METAR: KAFW 071053Z 17003KT 10SM CLR 02/00 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP192 T00220000 ## 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 20240107001789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240107001789A), Jan 7, 2024: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-44-180, Fort Worth, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft was performing touch and go's at afw and on the 8th landing, the aircraft landed without the gear being extended. Both propellers contacted the runway… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193629. 16.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 15.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16596964&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20CFI_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA examination summary memo (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16596819&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20exam%20summary-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16596974&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.