# NTSB ERA10CA156: Piaggio P180, N29JS, Greensboro, NC, March 1, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 1, 2010, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC) - Place: Greensboro, NC - Coordinates: 36.101387, -79.938056 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1014&lon=-79.9381&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 75428 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA156 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75428/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75428 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA156 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to properly configure the landing gear for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention looking for traffic and manipulating the secondary trim controls. ## 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 · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/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: [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that after takeoff, he experienced a primary trim failure and continued to the destination using secondary trim. The pilot stated that during final approach his airspeed was too high to lower the landing gear. The pilot "continued working the trim," and was looking for any traffic in the pattern. In the landing flare, he heard "an unusual noise like something scraping," performed a go-around, and realized he had not extended the landing gear. The pilot then extended the gear and landed without incident. Inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that after takeoff, he experienced a primary trim failure and continued to the destination using secondary trim. The pilot stated that during final approach, he had difficulty visually locating traffic, and noticed that his airspeed was too high to lower the landing gear. The pilot continued to look for the traffic and "continued working the trim." In the landing flare, he heard "an unusual noise like something scraping," performed a go-around, and realized he had not extended the landing gear. The pilot then extended the gear and landed without incident. Inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage. ## Aircraft - Registration: N29JS (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: PIAGGIO P180 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1046 - Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-6 SERIES 550 horsepower turbo prop; P&W CANADA PT6A-6 SERIES 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Franklin Mew - Registered owner: Pelham Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: GMU, Greenville, SC - Destination: GSO, Greensboro, NC - Airport: GSO, Piedmont Triad International, runway 23L, 10,001 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 16, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 1,162 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: GSO ## 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 20100301028239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100301028239A), Mar 1, 2010: Piaggio P180, Greensboro, NC, Substantial damage. Pilot was landing with gear up. He said he was distracted due to primary trim being inoperative , using secondary trim, and citation traffic. Pilot heard… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75428. 601 KB in all. - Memorandum regarding NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328749&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20regarding%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328700&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Telephone Memorandum - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328766&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Telephone%20Memorandum%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Photo of Damage to Airplane - Courtesy of FAA (item 4, .PDF, 508 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328765&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20of%20Damage%20to%20Airplane%20-%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA-Master.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.