No fatalities

8 Dec 2011: PIPER PA-31-350 — Warbelows Air Venture — Kaltag, AK

Kaltag, AK, United States

On 8 Dec 2011, a PIPER PA-31-350 operated by Warbelows Air Venture was involved in an aviation accident near Kaltag, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to re-extend the landing gear due to fatigue and distractions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a visual approach in icing conditions, a pilot retracted the landing gear to prevent ice buildup, then failed to re-extend it due to fatigue and distractions, resulting in a gear-up landing and substantial damage.

Incident Overview

During a visual approach in icing conditions, the pilot retracted the landing gear to prevent ice from accumulating on the gear. While executing a go-around, the pilot applied power and saw the runway, deciding to continue the landing. However, the pilot reported that due to fatigue and other distractions, he neglected to re-extend the landing gear, resulting in a gear-up landing.

Sequence of Events

After retracting the gear, the pilot initiated an aborted approach by applying power. Upon seeing the runway, he opted to proceed with the landing instead of completing the go-around. The pilot's fatigue and distractions led him to forget to lower the landing gear. The aircraft touched down with the gear retracted and slid into a snow berm.

Damage and Aftermath

The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage from the gear-up landing and subsequent impact with the snow berm. The incident occurred during daylight hours under visual meteorological conditions. No injuries were reported in the source.

Contributing Factors

The pilot's failure to re-extend the landing gear was attributed to fatigue and distractions, as stated by the pilot. The initial retraction of the gear was a deliberate action to prevent icing, but the subsequent oversight led to the accident.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to re-extend the landing gear due to fatigue and distractions.

Contributing factors

PilotIncorrect use/operation