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ERA25LA105

2025-01-12 · Fairfield, New Jersey, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CDW

Current FAA registration · N711AV

Make / Model
PIPER PA-44-180
Engine
LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
19891122
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A97FD8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in a gear up landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.

Factual narrative

During an instructional flight, while approaching the runway to land, the flight instructor told the pilot receiving instruction to check that the landing gear had been extended. While the instructor handled radio transmissions and watched an aircraft that was still on the runway, the pilot receiving instruction performed the prelanding checklist but did not extend the landing gear. Due to the distraction of the radios and traffic on the runway, the instructor did not notice that the landing gear remained stowed. During the flare to land, both pilots realized the landing gear remained up and the airplane settled onto the runway with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the landing gear and landing gear position warning system revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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-Action/decision-Action-Incomplete action-Student/instructed pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Identification/recognition-Instructor/check 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_ERA25LA105.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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