Skip to content

Atlas / NTSB / CEN23LA253

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event CEN23LA253

2023-06-10 Watkins, Colorado, United States Airport · CFO None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N6886P

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-24-250

Year of manufacture

1960 · 63 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19600526

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A92427

Registrant of record

BAS PART SALES LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to utilize the prelanding checklist to ensure the landing gear was extended before landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that shortly before touchdown he noticed the landing gear selector still in the up position. The pilot moved the selector to the down position, but the landing gear were unable to fully extend before touchdown. The bottom of the fuselage was substantially damage during the wheels-up landing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the pilot reported he did not use a prelanding checklist to ensure that the landing was extended before touchdown. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot
  • Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Forgotten action/omission-Pilot
  • Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN23LA253.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.