No fatalities

Retractable-Gear Airplane Involved in Landing Accident After Pilot Notices Gear Not Extended

MADRAS, OR, United States

On October 18, 2018, a Piper PA24 250 was involved in an aviation accident near MADRAS, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear, which resulted in an attempted go-around and subsequent pitchdown and impact with the runway. 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

During landing, the pilot of a retractable-gear airplane noticed the landing gear was not extended. A go-around attempt resulted in the airplane pitching down and impacting the runway, coming to rest 1,000 ft down the runway. Substantial damage occurred.

Accident Description

The pilot of a retractable-gear airplane reported that during the landing sequence, at the "last second," he observed that the landing gear was not extended. In response, the pilot applied full power to initiate a go-around. However, the airplane then pitched down and subsequently impacted the runway surface. After the impact, the airplane came to rest approximately 1,000 feet down the runway from the initial touchdown point.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage as a result of the impact.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Not used/operatedPilot