Piper PA46-310P accident near Farmington, New Mexico, September 12, 2010
On September 12, 2010 at about 6:04 pm local time, a Piper PA46-310P, registered N24WW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s premature retraction of the landing gear and the flaps during landing. Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent dimming of the cockpit lighting, resulting in a perceived unsafe gear configuration.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2010 · about 6:04 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46-310P · all PA46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N24WW · registry record · serial 46-8508071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing after completing a practice instrument landing system approach in bright day conditions. The pilot reported that he extended the landing gear and flaps when he was about three miles from the airport. The airplane crossed the threshold of the runway and was just about to touch down when the pilot noticed that the landing gear green indicator lights appeared not to be illuminated. The pilot applied full throttle and immediately raised the landing gear and flaps. During the go-around attempt the airplane settled and the propeller struck the runway. The pilot held full power and a nose-high attitude as the airspeed decreased. The airplane struck obstructions on the side of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. It then came to rest upright approximately halfway down the length of the runway. An inspection of the aircraft systems by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the cockpit lighting dimmer switch, which controlled the illumination intensity of the landing gear lights, was set to the “Night Dim” position.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Central warning › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Environmental issues › Task environment › (general) › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,644 hours in all; 1,060 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 2,564 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 5, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,713 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO 520 Seri (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avionta LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 00C Durango CO at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Farmington NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,704 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 6:02 pm from KFMN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N24WW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.