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CHI92IA141

1992-05-07 · VALENTINE, Nebraska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VTN

Current FAA registration · N143AC

Make / Model
PIPER PA-23-250
Year of manufacture
1972 · 20 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
19730109
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0ADD8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR AND THE INATTENTIVE FAA INSPECTOR (CHECK AIRMAN). ASSOCIATED FACTORS ARE THE INOPERATIVE LANDING GEAR WARNING SYSTEM, THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BY THE PILOT AND FAA INSPECTOR, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE A CHECKLIST.

Factual narrative

THE AIRPLANE LANDED GEAR UP DURING A COMMERCIAL AIR TAXI FLIGHT CHECK CONDUCTED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR. THE GEAR UP LANDING FOLLOWED A DISCUSSION IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURES. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT FLYING THE AIRPLANE REPORTED THAT HE PLACED THE GEAR LEVER IN THE DOWN POSITION, BUT FAILED TO CHECK FOR THE THREE GREEN LANDING GEAR DOWN LIGHTS WHICH INDICATE THE GEAR LOCKED DOWN. THE FAA INSPECTOR ALSO DOES NOT RECALL LOOKING AT THE LANDING GEAR INDICATION LIGHTS PRIOR TO LANDING. NEITHER PILOT REMEMBERS HEARING A GEAR WARNING HORN OR SEEING THE FLASHING GEAR NOT EXTENDED LIGHT IN THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION DISCLOSED THE GEAR LIGHT WAS OPERATING INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE GEAR WARNING HORN WOULD SOUND ONLY IF THE LEFT ENGINE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO THE STOP WITH CONSIDERABLE BACK PRESSURE. THE THREE GREEN GEAR LOCKED LIGHTS WORKED SATISFACTORILY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_CHI92IA141.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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