# NTSB ERA23LA210: Piper PA-30, N751WW, St. Augustine, FL, April 18, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 18, 2023, 19:20 local (23:20 UTC) - Place: St. Augustine, FL - Coordinates: 29.95925, -81.339729 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9593&lon=-81.3397&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: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 107155 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA210 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107155/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107155 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA210 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/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-30, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7103002), [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-30, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that as he entered the airport environment for landing, while on about a 3-mile final approach, the air traffic control tower controller instructed him to perform a left 360° turn. The pilot completed the turn, and the controller cleared him to continue the approach and land. As the pilot continued the final approach to land, the sun was in his eyes, and he noticed two objects on the runway. He inquired the tower about what was on the runway, but before the controller could respond, he identified the objects as two F-18 fighter aircraft departing. Subsequently, during the landing flare he heard “gear gear gear” over the radio and then touched down with the landing gear retracted. The airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that he omitted completing his mental landing checklist of “gear, propeller, mixture, pumps, speed, stable.” The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N751WW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N751WW), registered now, S/N 30-1449, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30-1449 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 6904 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING IO-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 21, 2022 - Departed: SFB, Orlando, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: SGJ, Northeast Florida Regional Airport, runway 31, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review February 25, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 11,202 total, 220 in this make and model, 5,760 as pilot in command, 142 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: SGJ - METAR: KSGJ 182356Z 04005KT 10SM 19/11 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP172 T01940106 10222 20194 53006 $ ## 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 20230418004059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230418004059A), Apr 18, 2023: Piper PA-30, Saint Augustine, FL, Substantial damage. On 04/18/2023 a PA-30 was landing at ksgj when the pilot became distracted during the approach phase of the flight due to ATC requesting the pilot to do a 360… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107155. 7.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15748554&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 183 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15748667&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15749408&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20-%20ERA23LA210-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.