Piper PA-44-180 accident near Miami, Florida, September 10, 2004
On September 10, 2004 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N268DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Kendall Tamiami airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow the after landing check list, which resulted in his inadvertent gear retraction during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2004 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Kendall Tamiami · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N268DA · registry record · serial 4496135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, when he lowered the landing gear during his approach he verified that he had three green lights and the nose gear was visible in the mirror, and the red gear unsafe warning light was off. When he turned onto final approach and lined up with the runway he again checked and found that he had three green lights and verified the nose gear was visible in the mirror. He said he touched down on runway 9R and began the rollout. After about five seconds, he applied brakes to make the first turn off. Immediately after applying the brakes he said the landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid down the runway veered to the right and came to a stop just off the side of the runway, damaging the right outboard wing, the under carriage and propeller. Examination of the airplane found the flaps extended about 10 degrees and the gear handle not fully down in its detent. The airplane was moved to a maintenance facility on the airport and the gear was actuated seven times. Each time the landing gear functioned normally, there was no damage noted to the gear locks or the squat switch.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,862 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,716 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,249 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,816 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Opa Locka FL at 9:15 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 4,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from TMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.