No fatalities

Pilot Lands After Go-Around Following Unintentional Gear-Up Touchdown

Greensboro, NC, United States

On March 1, 2010, a PIAGGIO P180 operated by Franklin Mew was involved in an aviation accident near Greensboro, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to properly configure the landing gear for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention looking for traffic and manipulating the secondary trim controls. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot experienced a primary trim failure after takeoff, used secondary trim, and during approach had difficulty with traffic and airspeed. A gear-up landing flare led to a go-around, after which gear was extended for a normal landing. Substantial fuselage damage occurred.

Flight Events

After takeoff, the pilot encountered a primary trim failure and continued to the destination using secondary trim. During final approach, the pilot had difficulty visually locating traffic and noticed that the airspeed was too high to lower the landing gear. The pilot continued looking for the traffic while simultaneously managing the trim system.

Unintentional Gear-Up Landing

In the landing flare, the pilot heard an unusual noise described as something scraping. A go-around was initiated, during which the pilot realized that the landing gear had not been extended. The pilot then extended the gear and landed without further incident.

Aircraft Damage

Inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage.

Contributing factors

Not used/operatedPilot

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1 Mar 2010 PIAGGIO P180 accident near Greensboro, NC?

A pilot experienced a primary trim failure after takeoff, used secondary trim, and during approach had difficulty with traffic and airspeed. A gear-up landing flare led to a go-around, after which gear was extended for a normal landing. Substantial fuselage damage occurred.

Were there any fatalities in the 1 Mar 2010 PIAGGIO P180 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1 Mar 2010 involved a PIAGGIO P180, operated by Franklin Mew, at Greensboro, NC.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to properly configure the landing gear for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention looking for traffic and manipulating the secondary trim controls.