# NTSB FTW01LA157: Piper PA-24-250, N6474P, Uvalde, TX, June 28, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 28, 2001, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Uvalde, TX - Coordinates: 29.150375, -100.020698 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1504&lon=-100.0207&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52584 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA157 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52584/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA157 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to verify the landing gear was down and locked, which resulted in a wheels up landing and subsequent ground fire. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - gear down and locked - not verified, pilot in command - Fire, landing ## Analysis The pilot stated that on descent he was high and fast. He entered downwind at 3000 feet, and before he turned base leg, he realized he was still too high so he lowered the flaps. He stated that during the final approach, he used full flaps with a speed of 80 mph. About one-half mile from the runway, he positioned the landing gear switch in the down position, but did not immediately check the gear down lights to verify if the gear was down. The pilot stated "he didn't check the gear down light until over the runway, then no light. Too late to go-around." The airplane touched down and slid approximately 170 yards before coming to a stop on the runway. When the pilot opened the door and exited the airplane, he noted black smoke coming from beneath the airplane. The ensing fire consumed the rear portion of the fuselage. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot replied "do not break from procedures of your normal landings." ## Factual narrative On June 28, 2001, approximately 1845 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6474P, sustained substantial damage during a wheels up landing on runway 15 at the Garner Field Airport in Uvalde, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant and operator of the airplane, was not injured The airplane was registered to a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from Carrizo Springs, Texas, approximately 1830, with a destination of Uvalde. During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that on descent he was "high and fast." He entered downwind at 3000 feet, and before he turned base leg, he realized he was "still too high" so he lowered the flaps. He did not move the landing gear switch to the down position until the airplane was on final approach. He did not check for a landing gear down and locked green light until he was on short final. When he did check for a green light, he noted that it was not illuminated. At that point, he added power to go around; however, the engine "sputtered", and he elected to reduce power and land with the wheels up. The airplane touched down and slid approximately 170 yards before coming to a stop on the runway. When the pilot opened the door and exited the airplane, he noted black smoke coming from beneath the airplane. The ensuing fire consumed the rear portion of the fuselage. According to the pilot's written statement in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, he stated that during the approach he used full flaps with a speed of 80 mph. About one-half mile from the runway he positioned the landing gear switch in the down position, but did not immediately check the landing gear down lights to verify that the gear was down and locked. The pilot stated he "didn't check the gear down light until over the runway, then no light. Too late to go-around." When asked in the pilot report of how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated "do not break from procedures of your normal landings." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6474P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6474P-2001-08-27), registration cancelled 2001-08-27, S/N 24-1589 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1589 - Airframe hours: 5266 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CZT, Carrizo Springs, TX - Destination: UVA, Uvalde - Airport: UVA, Garner Field, runway 15, 2,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 31, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 684 total, 157 in this make and model, 684 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: HDO, 31 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 20010628014469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010628014469A), Jun 28, 2001: Piper PA24250, Uvalde, TX, Substantial damage. (.19)On June 28, 2001, approximately 1845 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6474P, sustained substantial damage during a wheels up landing on runway… 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.