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CEN25LA133

2025-03-20 · Liberal, Kansas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LBL

Current FAA registration · N38871

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28R-201T
Year of manufacture
1977 · 48 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER (225 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19770728
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A47C69

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing due to distraction and his failure to conduct the prelanding checklist.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff, he heard a slapping noise outside the right front door of the airplane. He determined that the seatbelt was outside the door, and he decided to land to fix it. While on a midfield downwind to the runway, another pilot radioed that he was entering the vicinity of the airport to land. The accident pilot stated that he attempted to gauge the other pilot’s proximity to the airport and prepare himself for a crosswind landing and forgot to complete his prelanding checklist, which included lowering the landing gear. The airplane landed gear up, which resulted in substantial damage to the longerons on the belly of the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Attention-Pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Gear extension and retract sys-Not used/operated
  • — Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Gear extension and retract sys-Not used/operated

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_CEN25LA133.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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