- Date
- July 5, 2013, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Casa Grande, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N436PAPiper PA-44-180
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20130705012089A
- Case key
- 87420
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 before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's and the flight examiner's distracted attention.
Findings · 4
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 during a multi-engine check ride, the check pilot (examiner) simulated an engine failure. When the throttle was retarded, the landing gear unsafe warning horn came on and it sounded throughout the remainder of the flight. The pilot performed a simulated single engine approach and decided to delay extending the landing gear until the airplane was on the base leg of the traffic pattern. While turning to the base leg, he was distracted by calls from other traffic and failed to extend the landing gear. The examiner also reported concentrating her attention on the other traffic. The airplane touched down with the gear up and it slid about 1,400 feet before coming to a stop. The airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a multi-engine check ride, the check pilot (examiner) simulated an engine failure. When the throttle was retarded, the landing gear unsafe warning horn came on and it sounded throughout the remainder of the flight. The pilot performed a simulated single engine approach and decided to delay extending the landing gear until the airplane was on the base leg of the traffic pattern. While turning to the base leg, he was distracted by calls from other traffic and failed to extend the landing gear. The examiner also reported concentrating her attention on the other traffic. The airplane touched down with the gear up and it slid about 1,400 feet before coming to a stop. The airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N436PA
- Reported as
- Piper PA-44-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4496079
- Airframe hours
- 7,048
- Engines
- Lycoming O-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming LO-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Bird Acquisition LLC, doing business as TransPac Aviation Academy
- Registered owner
- Bird Acquisition LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 26, 2013
- Departed
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
- Destination
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
- Airport
- CGZ · Casa Grande Municipal, runway 05, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 6, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 233 total · 27 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 59 °F
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 15, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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.