# NTSB CEN25LA253: Piper PA-44-180, N935ER, Melbourne, AR, July 15, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 15, 2025, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Melbourne, AR - Coordinates: 36.074923, -91.83068 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0749&lon=-91.8307&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 14, 2025 - 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): 200559 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA253 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200559/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200559 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA253 ## Probable cause The flight crew’s failure to use the airplane pre-landing checklist and failure to extend the airplane’s landing gear before landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/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-44-180, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7104402), [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-flare/touchdown: 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 and the student were conducting a simulated single engine approach to landing when the accident occurred. During the landing approach, the flight instructor was monitoring other aircraft traffic in the area, and the student asked the instructor a question, which distracted the instructor from performing his normal prelanding checks and verifying that the airplane’s retractable landing gear was extended. As the approach continued, neither the student nor flight instructor noticed that the landing gear was not extended. The airplane landed with the landing gear in the retracted position. The airplane received substantial damage to the structural external longerons on the bottom of the fuselage. As a result of the accident, the flight school implemented additional training for instructors and students regarding checklist usage and additional crew procedures have been implemented to verify landing gear extension prior to landing. Additionally, the review of the accident will be included in future safety meetings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N935ER](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N935ER), registered now, S/N 4496195, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-44-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (registry code 7104402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4496195 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 8857 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1H6 180 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING LO-360-A1H6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Ozarka College - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 30, 2025, 64 hours before - Airport: 42A, Melbourne Muni/John E Miller Fld, runway 03/21, 4,003 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 13, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,386 total, 108 in this make and model, 1,266 as pilot in command, 129 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 6, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 317 total, 23 in this make and model, 182 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: KBVX, 23 nm away - METAR: METAR KBVX 152056Z AUTO 23009KT 10SM FEW100 31/24 A2998 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S SLP149 T03060239 55012= ## 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 20250715009649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250715009649A), Jul 15, 2025: Piper PA-44-180, Melbourne, AR, Substantial damage. On July 15, 2025, at approximately 1615 CST and during a part 141 training flight, a 2005 Piper seminole (PA-44-180) was substantially damaged during a gear-up… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200559. 12.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 9.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19269200&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LPINKSTON_NTSB_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Ozarka college - director of aviation - report of accident, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19270263&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Dir%20of%20aviation%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 601 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19270253&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.