Piper PA-24 accident near Watertown, Wisconsin, July 1, 2012
On July 1, 2012 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N6580P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Watertown, Wisconsin (Watertown Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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 failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2012 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, Wisconsin · Watertown Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N6580P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1702
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he forgot to extend the landing gear prior to landing on the runway. The airplane touched down and slid to a stop. A postimpact fire ensued, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
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 not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 8, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,844 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KUES Waukesha WI at 1:30 pm
- Destination: KRYV Watertown WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 4,429 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KRYV
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.
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.