Piper PA-24-250 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, January 2, 2022
On January 2, 2022 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1959 Piper PA-24-250, registered N5844P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Grand Forks Int'L 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
Failure of the landing gear to properly extend before landing for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2022 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Grand Forks Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250, built 1959 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5844P · registry record · serial 24-925
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the landing gear did not extend properly as he approached the intended destination airport. His attempts to extend the landing gear manually were not successful, and he decided to divert to a tower-controlled airport. The tower controller subsequently confirmed that the landing gear appeared to be “a few inches down from the retracted position” but was not fully extended. He ultimately executed an emergency gear-up landing. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system was performed after the airplane was repositioned to a hangar at the airport. The landing gear motor jack screw corresponded to the retracted position at the time of the exam. Electrical power did not appear to be reaching the gear extension motor. When the nose landing gear doors were released (opened), the landing gear was able to be extended manually. Although, the examination confirmed an anomaly with both the primary and secondary extension/retraction systems, it did not determine the exact problem.
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 landing defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,198 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 416 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 6, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,859 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2021; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B1A (piston); 3,235 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASX Ashland WI at 6:15 pm
- Destination: Y37 Park River ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,351 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: -6°F (-21°C), dew point -11°F (-24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from GFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 30, 2024. 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 | Accident Photos | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records -- Airframe | PDF, 26 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records -- Engine | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Conversation Summary -- FAA Inspectors | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5844P 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.