Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Glencoe, Minnesota, February 23, 2026
On February 23, 2026 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N279SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Glencoe, Minnesota (Glencoe 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 and the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2026 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glencoe, Minnesota · Glencoe Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201, built 1979 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N279SR · registry record · serial 28R-7918130
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction completed air work followed by simulated power-off landings. According to the flight instructor, while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot receiving instruction “broke the sterile cockpit,” did not complete the checklist, and did not extend the landing gear. The flight instructor reported that she became distracted and did not confirm that the student extended the landing gear. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage longerons. The flight instructor stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 688.8 hours in all; 166 in this make and model; 210.6 in the last 90 days; 125.8 in the last 30 days; 584.2 as pilot in command; 235.7 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 8, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 229.7 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 73.6 in the last 90 days; 15.8 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 16, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,422.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO 360 SER A& (piston); 4,133 hours total
- Operator: Metro Aircraft CO
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 10:30 pm
- Destination: FCM Eden Prairie MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13/3, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from GYL
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGYL 232335Z AUTO 10007KT 10SM CLR M08/M13 A3028 RMK AO2 T10811133
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 9, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | 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.