# NTSB MIA99LA175: Piper PA-24, N5238P, Fort Myers, FL, June 11, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 11, 1999, 09:44 local (13:44 UTC) - Place: Fort Myers, FL - Coordinates: 26.620119, -81.879745 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.6201&lon=-81.8797&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 23, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46536 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA175 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46536/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA175 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to verify that the retractable landing gear were down and locked for landing. ## 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 (cause) ## Analysis The airplane landed gear up and the pilot reported, 'I believe I saw a green light for the gear and continued the landing as per usual'. Replay of the tower tapes revealed that immediately after the gear up landing, N6238P transmitted, 'I just did a gear up'. Inspection of the landing gear extension/retraction system by an FAA certified mechanic revealed no abnormalities except a popped circuit breaker for the gear motor. The circuit breaker was reset and the system operated satisfactorily at the proper cycle speed for several cycles. ## Factual narrative On June 11, 1999, about 0944 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24, N5238P, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, made a gear-up landing at Page Field, Fort Myers, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Punta Gorda, Florida about 19 minutes before the accident. The pilot stated that on final approach to runway 13 at Page Field, he selected the landing gear control to the down position and, "I believe I saw a green light for the gear and continued the landing as per usual". According to FAA personnel in the Fort Myers Control Tower, they, (at least three of us) can remember three or four times in the recent past that they had to remind the pilot of N5238P to extend his wheels for landing. According to the Fort Myers Control Tower Chief, a playback of the tower audio tapes of radio communications between tower personnel and N5238P revealed that sometime during or shortly after the accident, N5238P transmitted, "I just made a gear up". The aircraft was transported to a fixed-base operator on the field and examined by an FAA certified mechanic. After resetting a circuit breaker for the landing gear operating motor, the gear were cycled several times satisfactorily. It was unknown by the A&P mechanic how long the circuit breaker had been tripped. The landing gear system is equipped with a large emergency extension handle in the cockpit that can be used as a backup gear position indicator by observing its action. The landing gear down green light indicated normally and the handle followed the extension/retraction cycle normally. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5238P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5238P-2023-11-27), registration cancelled 2023-11-27, S/N 24-268, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24) (registry code 7102402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-538 - Airframe hours: 2388 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Frank Stankiewicz - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 15, 1998, 90 hours before - Departed: PGD, PUNTA GORDA, FL - Destination: FMY - Airport: FMY, Page Field, runway 13, 4,997 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,200 total, 850 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FMY ## 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 19990611021749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990611021749A), Jun 11, 1999: Piper PA24180, Ft Myers, FL, Substantial damage. On June 11, 1999, about 0944 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24, N5238P, registered to a private individual, operating as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal… 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.