Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Mesquite, Texas, July 5, 2012
On July 5, 2012 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N8308Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mesquite, Texas (Mesquite Metro Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the right landing gear to fully extend, due to a combination of corrosion, inadequate lubrication, and a misadjusted gear-down limit switch. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform the emergency landing gear extension checklist in the pilot operating handbook.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2012 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mesquite, Texas · Mesquite Metro Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8308Y · no longer on the register · serial 28R-8118039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After extending the landing gear for his 5th practice landing, the pilot noted that the right main landing gear light only intermittently illuminated. After two pilots in other airplanes indicated that the accident airplane’s main landing gear appeared to be extended, the accident pilot decided to land without accomplishing emergency procedure checklist items. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed that the right main landing gear had not fully extended due to a combination of corrosion, inadequate lubrication, and a misadjusted gear-down limit switch. The misadjusted limit switch deactivated hydraulic pressure to the landing gear system before the gear could reach a down and locked condition, and the corrosion and lack of lubrication prevented full extension of the landing gear without the aid of hydraulic pressure.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 146 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 6, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,193 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 2012; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jlinn Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: KHQZ Mesquite TX at 8:15 pm
- Destination: KHQZ Mesquite TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from khqz
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.