Casualties unknown

Pilot Forgets Landing Gear Retracted, Lands Gear Up After Go-Around (N6240P)

Chino, CA, US

On April 9, 2001, a Piper PA-24-250 (registration N6240P) was involved in an aviation accident near Chino, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear. A factor was the pilot's failure to use the landing checklist. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

The pilot initiated a go-around due to an obstructed runway, forgot to extend the landing gear, and landed with gear retracted. A new noise-attenuating headset may have masked the gear warning horn.

Incident Details

The airplane touched down with its landing gear retracted. The pilot had initiated a go-around on the first approach because the runway was not clear, and subsequently forgot that he had raised the landing gear during that maneuver.

Pilot's Statement

The pilot reported that he was wearing a new noise-attenuating headset, which altered the sounds he normally hears while flying. He stated that he did not recognize the gear warning horn during the accident landing, but recalled that the horn was still sounding as he removed his headset after touchdown.

Equipment

The headset, described as a new noise-attenuating model, changed the acoustic environment for the pilot. The pilot indicated that the unfamiliar sounds may have contributed to his failure to recognize the gear warning horn.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20010426X00827. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.