Amateur-built QUESTAIR VENTURE accident near Robbinsville, New Jersey, October 28, 2021
On October 28, 2021 at about 4:10 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built QUESTAIR VENTURE, registered N281F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Robbinsville, New Jersey (Trenton-Robbinsville 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 failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to utilize the aircraft checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2021 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Robbinsville, New Jersey · Trenton-Robbinsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUESTAIR VENTURE NO SERIES, built 2019
- Registration
- N281F · no longer on the register · serial 70
- 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, during his approach to land he was distracted by an air traffic conflict. As he monitored the conflict, he said that he forgot to use his pre-landing checklist and subsequently failed to extend the landing gear. He believed that he had an opportunity to catch the problem but was concerned about the other aircraft in the traffic pattern. The airplane landed gear up and slid to a stop on the runway. The pilot did not report any anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the scene confirmed the structural damage to the belly of the airplane.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,818 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 3,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 15, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 14, 2021; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G1B (piston); 76 hours total
The flight
- Runway 11/2, 4,275 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KTTN, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTTN 281453Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/07 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP140 T01280067 51004=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 18, 2022. 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 | Record of Conversation Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | 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.