Piper PA-39 accident near Highgate, Vermont, October 29, 2023
On October 29, 2023 at about 3:56 pm local time, a 1971 Piper PA-39, registered N289WW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Highgate, Vermont (Franklin County State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent retraction of the landing gear during landing rollout, which resulted in a landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2023 · about 3:56 pm local time
- Place
- Highgate, Vermont · Franklin County State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-39 NO SERIES, built 1971 · all PA-39s on the register
- Registration
- N289WW · registry record · serial 39-84
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing rollout on a 3,001-ft-long, asphalt runway, he intended to retract the flaps, but instead he retracted the landing gear. The result was that all three of the landing gear assemblies retracted into their respective wheel wells during the landing roll. The lower fuselage stringers were substantially damaged. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The airplane was equipped with a squat switch on the left main landing gear that was designed to prevent the landing gear from inadvertently retracting; however, the switch required that sufficient weight be on the landing gear in order to work effectively. The pilot stated, and a video of the landing confirmed, that the airplane was still moving at relatively high speed when he selected the landing gear handle to the retracted position. The pilot reported that the squat switch was tested at the last annual inspection and that it operated normally during the inspection. Based on this information, it is likely that the airplane’s wings were still generating lift when the landing gear handle was selected to the retracted position and the gear struts was not compressed enough to activate the squat switch.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,600 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 108.5 in the last 90 days; 44.9 in the last 30 days; 20,800 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 22, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,836.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 2022; 76.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 3,065 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LIO-320-B1A (piston); 3,065 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FSO Highgate VT at 3:56 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01/1, 3,001 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 40°F (4°C), dew point 31°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from FSO
Weather report (METAR): KFSO 291555Z AUTO 07003KT 10SM SCT043 OVC050 05/M01 A3024 RMK AO2 T00471007
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA046.