Piper PA 31-310 accident near Jeffersonville, Indiana, December 4, 2017
On December 4, 2017, a 1973 Piper PA 31-310, registered N722CF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Jeffersonville, Indiana (Clark Rgnl 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 right main landing gear’s failure to fully extend for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident testing revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2017
- Place
- Jeffersonville, Indiana · Clark Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 31-310 UNDESIGNAT, built 1973 · all PA 31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N722CF · no longer on the register · serial 31-7300968
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the airplane was about 5 miles from the airport, the commercial pilot lowered the landing gear and noted that the right main landing gear (MLG) was slow to extend, but within a few seconds, all three gear down indicator lights illuminated. The airplane descended normally, and when it was above the runway about to flare, the right MLG indicator light extinguished. The pilot initiated a go-around, increased engine power, pitched for climb, and retracted the MLG and flaps. The airplane likely settled after the flaps were retracted, and the pilot heard a noise similar to a propeller blade contacting something. The pilot decided to abort the go-around and landed the airplane straight ahead. The airplane came to a stop on the runway with the MLG retracted. Postaccident MLG retraction tests were performed satisfactorily, and no defects were noted. Based on the available information, the reason that the right MLG did not fully extend and lock could not be determined.
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 landing
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,516 hours in all; 10,481 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 22,496 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,489 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 18, 2017; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,499 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-A2C (piston); 508 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540-A2C (piston); 1,455 hours total
- Operator: Luftladder INC
The flight
- Departed from: ELZ Wellsville NY at 9:30 pm
- Destination: JVY Jeffersonville IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LOU, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2018. 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 | Landing Gear Retraction Test Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation with FAA Inspector | 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.
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.