Piper PA-44-180 accident near Savoy, Illinois, October 24, 2023
On October 24, 2023 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 2001 Piper PA-44-180, registered N5331N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Savoy, Illinois (Willard 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 and the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision to ensure that the landing gear was extended.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2023 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Savoy, Illinois · Willard Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180, built 2001 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5331N · registry record · serial 4496106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a multi-engine instructional flight, the flight instructor simulated an engine failure at the final approach fix. The pilot receiving instruction focused on maintaining control of the airplane and neither the pilot nor the flight instructor verified that the landing gear was extended. During the landing, they realized that the landing gear was still retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system by a mechanic revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor stated that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane 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
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,416 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 2,607 as pilot in command; 1,263 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 29, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 224 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 169 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,959.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 4,204 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-A1H6 (piston); 6,726 hours total
- Operator: University Of Illinois
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 6,502 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KCMI
Weather report (METAR): KCMI 242053Z 18015KT 10SM OVC110 23/12 A3010
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 March 21, 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-PILOT | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1-FLIGHT Instructor | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� Email, FAA | 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.