# NTSB ERA24LA130: Piper PA-34-200, N15529, Zephyrhills, FL, March 1, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 1, 2024, 14:34 local (19:34 UTC)
- Place: Zephyrhills, FL
- Coordinates: 28.23171, -82.15677 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2317&lon=-82.1568&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: 1 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): 193895
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA130
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193895/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193895
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA130

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown, which resulted in a gear-up landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md)
- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=7103405), [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-34-200, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=7103405), [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-34-200, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, he was landing at his home airport where multiple runways were in use and multiple airplanes were operating in the traffic pattern. The pilot stated that his “pre-landing checklist got interrupted checking for traffic” and he completed the landing with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During recovery of the airplane, the landing gear operated normally when the landing gear handle was placed in the down position.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N15529](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15529), registered now, S/N 34-7350072, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-7350072
- Year built: 1972
- Airframe hours: 5029
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 200 hp reciprocating; Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 200 hp reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 2023
- Departed: KBOW, Bartow, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: ZPH, Zephyrhills Muni, runway 05/23, 5,001 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,200 total, 300 in this make and model, 1,200 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 130° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: KZPH
- METAR: METAR KZPH 011935Z AUTO 13010G14KT 10SM SCT042 BKN055 OVC090 28/17 A3018 RMK A02 T02790172

## 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 20240301004069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240301004069A), Mar 1, 2024: Piper PA-34-200, Zephyrhills, FL, Substantial damage. On March 1, 2024, at 1434 EST a 1972 Piper, model PA-34-200, had a gear-up landing. The pilot did not extend the landing gear prior to landing at the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193895. 5.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17393796&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=National%20Transportation%20Safety%20Board%20Incident%20Report%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 225 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17393643&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fwd_%20Pilot%20statement%20David%20N%20Pattie_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement supplement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 419 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17393873&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FW_%20N15529%20Incident%203-1-24_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 951 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17394021&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.

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