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WPR13CA316

2013-07-05 · Casa Grande, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CGZ

Current FAA registration · N436PA

Make / Model
PIPER PA-44-180
Year of manufacture
2001 · 12 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
20010911
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A53AAE

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 and the flight examiner's distracted attention.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during a multi-engine check ride, the check pilot (examiner) simulated an engine failure. When the throttle was retarded, the landing gear unsafe warning horn came on and it sounded throughout the remainder of the flight. The pilot performed a simulated single engine approach and decided to delay extending the landing gear until the airplane was on the base leg of the traffic pattern. While turning to the base leg, he was distracted by calls from other traffic and failed to extend the landing gear. The examiner also reported concentrating her attention on the other traffic. The airplane touched down with the gear up and it slid about 1,400 feet before coming to a stop. The airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that during a multi-engine check ride, the check pilot (examiner) simulated an engine failure. When the throttle was retarded, the landing gear unsafe warning horn came on and it sounded throughout the remainder of the flight. The pilot performed a simulated single engine approach and decided to delay extending the landing gear until the airplane was on the base leg of the traffic pattern. While turning to the base leg, he was distracted by calls from other traffic and failed to extend the landing gear. The examiner also reported concentrating her attention on the other traffic. The airplane touched down with the gear up and it slid about 1,400 feet before coming to a stop. The airplane's fuselage sustained substantial damage. 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-Gear extension and retract sys-Not used/operated - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Forgotten action/omission-Pilot - C
  • F Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other person-Designated examiner - F
  • F Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Attention-Pilot - F

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_WPR13CA316.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (engine failure). All research papers