- Date
- February 3, 2016, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Dallas, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N61429North American P 51
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160203001879A
- Case key
- 92735
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage during landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that this accident could have been prevented with a "higher degree" of diligence to checklists.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that this accident could have been prevented with a "higher degree" of diligence to checklists.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61429
- Reported as
- North American P 51 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 103-26199
- Built
- 1942
- Engine
- Rolls Royce V-1650-7, 1,497 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- American Air Power Heritage Flying Muse
- Registered owner
- American Air Power Heritage Flying Muse
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Limited (Special)
- Departed
- RBD · Dallas, TX
- Destination
- RBD · Dallas, TX
- Airport
- RBD · Dallas Executive, runway 35, 3,800 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 10, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,815 total · 187 in this make and model · 5.8 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KRBD
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 24, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N61429 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.