Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Culpeper, Virginia, October 6, 2011
On October 6, 2011 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N9268C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Culpeper, Virginia (Culpeper Regional Airprot 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
The pilot's inadequate knowledge of the airplane's emergency gear extension procedures, which resulted in his failure to successfully perform a manual extension of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2011 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Culpeper, Virginia · Culpeper Regional Airprot · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N9268C · registry record · serial 28R-7803248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot/owner, the airplane sustained a loss of electrical power, and he decided to return to the airport. On the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot moved the landing gear lever to the down position but did not see the three green lights or hear the landing gear extend. He then called a maintenance facility located at the airport and asked them to verify if the landing gear was down while he performed a low pass over the runway. The maintenance personnel indicated that the gear was not down; the pilot attempted an emergency gear extension procedure. After another low pass, the maintenance personnel stated that the gear was extended, and the pilot landed the airplane. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway, impacting a runway light, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the battery had been removed, and, therefore, the reason for an electrical failure could not be determined. Examination and operation of the landing gear revealed no anomalies. The pilot owned the airplane for about 8 years prior to the accident and had accumulated 1,650 hours of flight time in the make and model; however, the pilot could not successfully perform or articulate the emergency gear extension procedure. The pilot was also unable to locate the emergency landing gear extension procedure in the pilot’s operating handbook.
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
- Electrical system malf/failure during maneuvering
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of procedures › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,342 hours in all; 1,650 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,210 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CJR Culpeper VA at 2:35 pm
- Destination: CJR Culpeper VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.42 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from CJR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.