- Date
- July 29, 2017, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2596WMooney M20C
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170729010169A
- Case key
- 95788
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 distraction before landing by a helicopter that was transitioning to the airport and his subsequent failure to extend the landing gear before touchdown.
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 extended the landing gear while in the traffic pattern. He added that he became distracted by a helicopter that was transitioning to the airport, and while on base to final approach, he mistakenly raised the landing gear. The airplane subsequently touched down with the landing gear retracted. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he extended the landing gear while in the traffic pattern. He added that he became distracted by a helicopter that was transitioning the airport, and while on base to final approach, he mistakenly raised the landing gear. The airplane subsequently touched down with the landing gear retracted. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2596W
- Reported as
- Mooney M20C (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3283
- Built
- 1965
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CLW · Clearwater, FL
- Destination
- CLW · Clearwater, FL
- Airport
- CLW · Clearwater Air Park, runway 34, 4,108 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KPIE
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 1, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.