Piper PA-31T accident near Columbia, Missouri, February 4, 2010
On February 4, 2010 at about 4:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N723JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Columbia, Missouri (Columbia Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 verify that the landing gear was fully extended prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2010 · about 4:43 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Columbia, Missouri · Columbia Regional · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N723JP · registry record · serial 31T-7920009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the accident occurred during landing at the destination airport under visual weather conditions and light winds. He stated that upon landing, the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing contacted the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the runway pavement and came to rest about mid-field in the grass adjacent to the runway. It had rotated about 180 degrees and was oriented on an approximately reciprocal heading. The right main landing gear also collapsed during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that verifying the landing gear indications was normally part of his before-landing procedure; however, he could not specifically recall observing three green indications prior to the accident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the lower fuselage in the vicinity of the cabin entry door. In addition, the inboard landing gear doors exhibited crushing damage consistent with the landing gear being in transit at the time of contact with the runway. The inboard landing gear doors open when the gear is in transit and close after the gear extension sequence is complete. Recorded winds at the time of the accident were 8 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,821 hours in all; 1,850 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,242 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: U/A Canada PT6A SERIES (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: U/A Canada PT6A SERIES (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Missouri Forge INC
The flight
- Departed from: X33 Doniphan MO at 4:05 pm
- Destination: COU Columbia MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 02, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from COU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 1, 2010. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Conversation Record -- Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N723JP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: U/A Canada PT6A SERIES 181 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: U/A Canada PT6A SERIES 181 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Columbia Regional · nearest airport
- Doniphan Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Missouri 1,640 since 1982 · 219 in the last ten years
- Missouri 5,821 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN10CA116.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.