No fatalities

Gear-Up Landing Occurs Despite Pilot's Gear-Down Indication

Springfield, MO, United States

On June 24, 2016, a PIPER PA 24 180 was involved in an aviation accident near Springfield, MO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was in the down and locked position prior to touchdown. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported performing pre-landing checks with gear switch down, but the airplane landed with gear retracted, resulting in substantial fuselage damage. Postaccident testing found no abnormalities.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during the approach, he completed the pre-landing checklist and verified the landing gear selector switch was in the down position. The pilot noted that sun glare on the instrument panel was present during the landing. Despite these actions, the aircraft touched down with the landing gear in the up and locked position, causing substantial damage to the fuselage.

Postaccident Examination

Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted an examination of the landing gear system. The gear was cycled multiple times, and no abnormalities were observed. The system functioned normally during the postaccident tests.

Pilot Actions

The pilot had performed the standard pre-landing checklist, which includes ensuring the gear is down and locked. The sun glare on the instrument panel may have affected visibility, but no causal link has been established. The exact reason why the gear remained retracted despite the switch being in the down position has not been determined.

Damage

The landing with the gear retracted resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. No other details about the extent of damage or injuries were provided in the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotNot used/operated

Other contributing factors

Effect on personnel