NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ATL04CA192
Registry · N268DA
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
PIPER PA-44-180
Year of manufacture
2002 · 2 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING O-360 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
20020420
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A29D01
Registrant of record
SPARTAN EDUCATION LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to follow the after landing check list, which resulted in his inadvertent gear retraction during landing roll.
Factual narrative
On September 10, 2004 at 1730 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180, N268DA, registered to Jack and Robert Arrow LLC., and operated by the commercial pilot, collapsed the nose and right main landing gear during roll out at the Kendall-Tamiami Airport in Miami, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated at Opa Locka, Florida, on September 10, 2004, at 1715. According to the pilot, when he lowered the landing gear during his approach he verified that he had three green lights and the nose gear was visible in the mirror, and the red gear unsafe warning light was off. When he turned onto final approach and lined up with the runway he again checked and found that he had three green lights and verified the nose gear was visible in the mirror. He said he touched down on runway 9R and began the rollout. After about five seconds, he applied brakes to make the first turn off. Immediately after applying the brakes, he said the landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid down the runway veered to the right and came to a stop just off the side of the runway, damaging the right outboard wing, the under carriage and propeller. Examination of the airplane found the flaps extended about 10 degrees and the gear handle not fully down in its detent. The airplane was moved to a maintenance facility on the airport and the gear was actuated seven times. The gear order of operation was first left main down and locked, second right main down and locked, then the nose gear down to 3/4 travel at which time the right main will unlock and brake over center and both nose and main will then lock. Each time the landing gear functioned normally, there was no damage noted to the gear locks or the squat switch. According to the pilot, when he lowered the landing gear during his approach he verified that he had three green lights and the nose gear was visible in the mirror, and the red gear unsafe warning light was off. When he turned onto final approach and lined up with the runway he again checked and found that he had three green lights and verified the nose gear was visible in the mirror. He said he touched down on runway 9R and began the rollout. After about five seconds, he applied brakes to make the first turn off. Immediately after applying the brakes he said the landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid down the runway veered to the right and came to a stop just off the side of the runway, damaging the right outboard wing, the under carriage and propeller. Examination of the airplane found the flaps extended about 10 degrees and the gear handle not fully down in its detent. The airplane was moved to a maintenance facility on the airport and the gear was actuated seven times. Each time the landing gear functioned normally, there was no damage noted to the gear locks or the squat switch. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2004_ATL04CA192.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
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