Casualties unknown

Hard Landing and Gear-Up Landing During Engine-Out Simulation Training (N842PS)

Mesa, AZ, US

On March 15, 2003, a Piper PA24 (registration N842PS) was involved in an aviation accident near Mesa, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a go-around, which resulted in an inadvertent touchdown and hard landing. Factors associated with the accident are a momentary loss of engine power, and the inadvertent touchdown. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

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

A flight instructor simulating an engine failure for a student resulted in a hard landing and later a gear-up landing due to landing gear malfunction.

Incident Summary

A certificated flight instructor was providing instruction to a student pilot preparing for a private pilot certificate. During the training flight, the instructor simulated a loss of engine power by reducing the throttle. The student then made an approach to land on a runway.

Sequence of Events

Prior to touchdown, the instructor ended the simulation and directed the student to increase power and climb. The engine did not respond immediately, causing the airplane to continue descending and strike the runway hard. Shortly after contacting the runway, the engine responded with full power. The instructor decided to abort the landing.

Post-Landing Actions

During an airborne inspection, it was discovered that the landing gear would not fully extend. The instructor chose to perform a gear-up landing at another airport equipped with rescue facilities. The airplane touched down without further incident while in the gear-up configuration, but sustained structural damage.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20030321X00366. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.