Piper PA44 accident near Centralia, Illinois, May 16, 2019
On May 16, 2019, a 1978 Piper PA44, registered N39693, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Centralia, Illinois (Centralia Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 nose landing gear to extend for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2019
- Place
- Centralia, Illinois · Centralia Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA44 180, built 1978 · all PA44s on the register
- Registration
- N39693 · no longer on the register · serial 44-7995025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing the Before Landing checklist following an instructional flight in the multiengine airplane, the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction noticed that the nose landing gear light did not illuminate when the gear was extended, and the nose gear appeared only partially extended. The pilots performed the emergency gear extension procedure, which was unsuccessful, and subsequently attempted maneuvers to extend the gear; however, the nose gear would not extend. The pilots returned to the airport and landed in the soft, wet grass next to the runway, during which the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear system and emergency gear extension system did not reveal any anomalies that could have resulted in the failure of the nose gear to extend; however, a detailed examination of the system was not possible due to the extent of the impact damage.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 511 hours in all; 233 in this make and model; 146 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 363 as pilot in command; 161 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 24, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 269 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 86 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,429.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 2,984 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 3,001 hours total
- Operator: Airgo Inc
The flight
- Departed from: ENL Centralia IL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: ENL Centralia IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 09, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on September 23, 2021. 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 | NTSB Form 6120 CFI CEN19LA142 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Form 6120 Student Under Instruction CEN19LA142 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for the Record Landing Gear Examination Findings CEN19LA142 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array CEN19LA142 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N39693 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.