Piper PA 30 accident near Vero Beach, Florida, June 17, 2018
On June 17, 2018 at about 3:20 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA 30, registered N8674Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach Regional airport). 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 collapse of all three landing gear for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2018 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 30 NO SERIES, built 1969 · all PA 30s on the register
- Registration
- N8674Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, after a local flight, he returned to his home airport and entered the right base leg of the airport traffic pattern for landing. Due to traffic ahead of him, the pilot extended the landing gear early to decrease airspeed. He confirmed that the landing gear were extended by seeing the green light indication in the cockpit and by using the reflective mirror on the left engine nacelle to see that the nose landing gear (NLG) was extended. On short final approach, the pilot again confirmed that the landing gear were extended, and the airplane touched down near the touchdown markings. The pilot added that, after about 500 ft of landing roll, the NLG collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. Examination of the wreckage revealed that all three landing gear had collapsed. Further examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although the main landing extension rods were found bent, no anomalies or damage was found that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear. Therefore, the reason for the landing gear collapse could not be determined.
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 collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 449 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 347 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 3, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,865 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 2017; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,381 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 7,343 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 2,764 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL at 2:40 pm
- Destination: VRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,974 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from VRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 8, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Report | 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.