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WPR12CA435

2012-09-20 · Madera, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MAE

Current FAA registration · N8648P

Make / Model
PIPER PA-24-260
Year of manufacture
1964 · 48 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19641214
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ABE131

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student's and flight instructor’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was extended prior to landing.

Factual narrative

The accident occurred during an instructional flight while practicing landings. The flight instructor reported that he became distracted while teaching his student and forgot to ensure that the landing gear was extended before landing. He stated that the landing gear warning horn came on just before the airplane landed gear up, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident occurred during an instructional flight while practicing landings. The flight instructor reported that he became distracted while teaching his student and forgot to ensure that the landing gear was extended before landing. He stated that the landing gear warning horn came on just before the airplane landed gear up, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical 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.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-(general)-Not used/operated - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Instructor/check pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Student pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other person-Instructor/check pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_WPR12CA435.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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