Piper PA-34-200T accident near Navasota, Texas, August 8, 2021
On August 8, 2021 at about 8:40 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8011F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Navasota, Texas (Navasota Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- August 8, 2021 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Navasota, Texas · Navasota Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T, built 1976 · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8011F · registry record · serial 34-7770080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that while in the traffic pattern for landing, he and the student became distracted while trying to avoid another aircraft and they failed to extend the landing gear before landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies 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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 5,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KCLL, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCLL 081953Z 19009KT 10SM FEW055 34/22 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP140
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 16, 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - PIC | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | 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.