# NTSB DEN00LA179: Piper PA-31-350, N114SA, Blanding, UT, September 27, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 27, 2000, 14:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Blanding, UT - Coordinates: 37.55017, -109.479484 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5502&lon=-109.4795&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 8, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50365 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA179 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50365/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA179 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to follow the checklist and lower the landing gear for landing. A factor was diverted attention. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - checklist - not complied with, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis While on a passenger carrying, on demand, air taxi flight, the pilot made an approach to land at an uncontrolled airport to pick up additional passengers. During the approach, he was discussing the shortened runway, due to construction, with the UNICOM operator. The pilot said that due to the distraction of his conversation with the UNICOM operator, he forgot to lower the landing gear and landed with the landing gear retracted. He heard the landing gear warning horn when he reduced power, in the flare, for touchdown. ## Factual narrative On September 27, 2000, at 1450 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350, N114SA, landed with the landing gear retracted at Cal Black Memorial Airport, Blanding, Utah, Near Halls Crossing, Utah. The airline transport certificated pilot and his four passengers were not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating as an "on demand" air taxi flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135 and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Bullfrog Basin Airport, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah, at 1447. According to the pilot, he had picked up some passengers at the Bull Frog Basin Airport, 9 miles northwest of Cal Black Airport, and was picking up more passengers at Cal Black. He made a straight in approach to landing at Cal Black and during the approach was discussing the shortened runway, which was undergoing repairs, with the UNICOM operator. He said that he made his approach to runway 19 at Cal Black and lowered landing flaps, but due to the distraction of his UNICOM conversation, he forgot to lower the landing gear. According to his statement, he heard the landing gear warning horn when he reduced power for landing, but it was then too late to initiate a go-around. He said the aircraft slid to a stop following landing and he assisted his passengers from the aircraft, which had suffered damage to the belly, propellers and flaps. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N114SA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N114SA), registered now, S/N 31-8052053, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-31-350 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (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: 31-8052053 - Airframe hours: 13259 - Engines: Lycoming TSIO-540-J2BD 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: American Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 18, 2000, 6 hours before - Departed: U07, HALLS CROSSING, UT - Destination: U96 - Airport: U96, Cal Black Memorial, runway 19, 5,700 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,000 total, 900 in this make and model, 13,750 as pilot in command, 113 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PGA, 62 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000927014439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000927014439A), Sep 27, 2000: Piper PA31350, Hanksville, UT, No damage. (-23) According to the pilot, he overlooked lowering the landing gear prior to landing due to multiple distractions. The pilot did not enter downwind, but… ## Other investigations on N114SA (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN01LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA132), Jul 29, 2001: Piper PA-31-350 (N114SA), Grand Junction, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: the failure of the nose landing gear right drag brace (link assembly) due to fatigue. 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.