Piper PA-24-400 accident near Des Moines, Iowa, March 13, 2007
On March 13, 2007 at about 1:10 am local time, a Piper PA-24-400, registered N400VL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa. It was a personal 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 nose landing gear becoming jammed in a partially extended position during flight as a result of damage to the nose landing gear by ground personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2007 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-400 · all PA-24-400s on the register
- Registration
- N400VL · no longer on the register · serial 26-124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a wheels-up landing following a failure of the landing gear to extend. The pilot reported that during an approach for landing, the airplane's landing gear failed to extend fully. The pilot reported that during the first attempt to lower the landing gear he heard a "metallic-sounding 'clack.'" The pilot reported that he made several attempts to lower the landing gear using both the normal and emergency extension procedures. The pilot reported that he elected to divert to another airport to perform an emergency landing. Upon reaching the alternate airport, the pilot performed a fly-by and ground personnel confirmed that the landing gear was not fully extended. The pilot elected to perform a wheels-up landing. Postaccident examination of the airplane confirmed that the landing gear would not fully extend. Further examination revealed damage to the nose landing gear steering stops, the nose landing gear down lock mechanism, and the nose landing gear wheel well sidewall. The damage to the nose landing gear was consistent with exceeding the steering limits of the nose landing gear during ground handling.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 948 hours in all; 652 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 912 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,106 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3Y3 Winterset IA
- Destination: I75 Osceola IA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.