Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin, July 27, 2024
On July 27, 2024 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA-28R-180, registered N980BL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin (Fort Atkinson Muni 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 pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing due to distractions and his failure to conduct the Before Landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2024 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin · Fort Atkinson Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180, built 1969 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N980BL · registry record · serial 28R-30497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported it was his first time landing at the airport and he was having difficulty locating it. Additionally, skydiving operations were in progress at the airport. Due to the distractions, he did not complete the normal downwind checklist and forgot to lower the landing gear. On final approach, another pilot announced he was on final for the opposite end of the accident pilot’s intended runway. The other pilot made a short approach and cleared the runway by the time the accident pilot was on a ½ mile final. The accident pilot did not visually confirm the status of the landing gear cockpit lights before landing. Upon hearing the warning horn for the landing gear, the pilot immediately lowered the landing gear and tried to remain airborne until the landing gear fully locked down. The airplane touched down before the left and nose landing gear fully locked down. The airplane departed the runway to the left and came to rest upright in the grass. During the runway excursion, the left wing impacted a runway light which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he should have performed a go around when the other pilot was landing and that the accident was a combination of fatigue, distractions, and coming into a strange airport for the first time.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,002 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,002 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 19, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 1,500 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 61C Ft. Atkinson WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 am from KRYV, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRYV 271615Z AUTO 20007KT 10SM CLR 25/17 A3012 RMK AO2 T02500166
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA288.