# NTSB ERA25LA314: Piper PA32R, N990DM, Miami, FL, August 20, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 20, 2025, 18:16 local (22:16 UTC) - Place: Miami, FL - Coordinates: 25.65, -80.43 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.6500&lon=-80.4300&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2025 - 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): 200859 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA314 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200859/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200859 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA314 ## Probable cause An inflight loss of hydraulic fluid from the landing gear system through a cracked fitting, which resulted in a landing gear collapse upon touchdown. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: hydraulic fluid](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071015): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071015/cases.md?model=7103213), [All aircraft, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071015/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 collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-300, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7103213), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while enroute the “Warn Gear Unsafe” indicator illuminated and a decrease in airspeed was observed. After confirming that the airplane had enough fuel to reach the destination the pilot attempted to lower the landing gear. He placed the landing gear selector in the down position, but the landing gear position indicator lights were not illuminated. The pilot then followed the checklist for the emergency landing gear extension, but the gear indicator lights still did not illuminate, so he attempted multiple high G maneuvers to attempt to lock the landing gear to no avail. He then performed a low pass of the air traffic control tower who reported that the gear appeared to be down and locked. Upon touchdown the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the hydraulic system contained only trace amounts of fluid. The system was then serviced with hydraulic fluid and operated successfully. Further examination of the hydraulic system found that hydraulic fluid was leaking from a cracked fitting. Based on this information, it is likely that the inflight loss of hydraulic fluid through the cracked fitting resulted in the system failing to operate as intended. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N990DM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N990DM), registered now, S/N 32R-7780357, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R (300) - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (registry code 7103213) (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: 32R-7780357 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 4918 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1G5D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2025, 12 hours before - Departed: MDST, Santiago, OF - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: TMB, Miami Exec, runway 27L, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 29, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,592 total, 114 in this make and model, 1,491 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: TMB, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KTMB 202153Z AUTO A2980 RMK AO2 SLP092 PWINO $ ## 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 20250820021299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250820021299A), Aug 20, 2025: Piper PA-32R-300, Miami, FL, Substantial damage. NTSB accident no.: ERA25LA314 atqa: A-SO-19-25-056 sas ptrs no.: SO19202507114 task id: T-SO19-FY26-0003 registration: nxxxx [privacy data omitted] [privacy… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200859. 17.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19313963&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA314%20Completed%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19314296&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� passenger/owner statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19313869&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Owner-Passenger-Rel.pdf - Maintenance logbook excerpt (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 271 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19313286&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Logbook%20Excerpt%20Last%20Maintenance_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 480 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19314306&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA25LA314-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 687 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19313879&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - PA-32R-300 POH excerpt (item 7, PDF, 5 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19313306&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=PA-32R-300%20POH%20Excerpt-Rel.pdf - Video - hydraulic leak (item 8, MOV, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19576468&FileExtension=MOV&FileName=Hydraulic%20leak-Rel.MOV - Memorandum for record a�� FAA inspector statement (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19576632&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement - hydraulic leak (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 584 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19589685&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - PA-32R-300 hydraulic system illustrated parts catalogue (item 11, PDF, 5 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19590742&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Landing%20Gear%20IPC-Rel.pdf - PA-32R-300 service manual excerpt (item 12, PDF, 4 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19590395&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Manual%20Excerpt-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.