- Date
- August 13, 2008, 01:20 local (05:20 UTC)
- Place
- East Tawas, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9114KPiper PA-34-200T
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080813848119A
- Case key
- 69032
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to touchdown.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
As the flight neared the intended destination airport, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 26. The approach was normal; however, the landing gear was not extended prior to touchdown and the airplane inadvertently landed gear up. Damage to the airplane included external structural formers on the bottom of the fuselage. The pilot noted that he had failed to lower the landing gear during the before-landing checklist. There were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident, according to the pilot.
Factual narrative
As the flight neared the intended destination airport, the pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 26. The approach was normal; however, the landing gear was not extended prior to touchdown and the airplane inadvertently landed gear up. Damage to the airplane included external structural formers on the bottom of the fuselage. The pilot noted that he had failed to lower the landing gear during the before-landing checklist. There were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident, according to the pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9114K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-7670188
- Airframe hours
- 2,926
- Engines
- Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER, 225 horsepower, reciprocatingCont Motor TSIO-360 SER, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 12, 2008
- Departed
- 76G · Michigan City, MI
- Destination
- 6D9 · East Tawas, MI
- Airport
- 6D9 · Iosco County, runway 26, 4,802 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 86
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 9, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,780 total · 314 in this make and model · 10,620 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Observed at
- 6D9, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.