Piper PA-34-200 accident near Groton, Connecticut, January 9, 2024
On January 9, 2024 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1974 Piper PA-34-200, registered N33300, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Groton, Connecticut (Groton-New London airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot receiving instruction’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing. Also contributing, was the flight instructor’s failure to monitor the airplane’s configuration while on approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2024 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Groton, Connecticut · Groton-New London · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200, built 1974 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N33300 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7450205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the downwind leg of the traffic pattern the pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were having a conversation about when to extend the landing gear, as the pilot receiving instruction was new to this airplane. During this discussion the pilots were contacted by air traffic control (ATC) and a conversation took place about a possible change of runway. After the exchange with ATC the pilots did not return to their conversation about when to extend the landing gear. After being cleared to land, the pilot receiving instruction performed a normal approach to landing. The pilots reported that they realized they had forgotten to extend the landing gear when they heard the airplane contact the runway. The airplane skidded down the asphalt, resulting in substantial damage to the external longerons of the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a landing gear position warning horn that was designed to sound when either of the throttles were pulled back for landing. Neither pilot specifically remembered hearing the warning horn during the accident landing. After the airplane was recovered, the landing gear warning horn was tested and was found to operate normally.
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 defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,644 hours in all; 246 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,510 as pilot in command; 1,244 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,969 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,596 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 21, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,560.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 2024; 3.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 3: Lycoming LIO-360-C1E6 (piston); 1,633 hours total
- Engine 4: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 2,482 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GON Groton CT at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from GON
Weather report (METAR): KGON 091656Z 09008KT 10SM CLR 04/01 A3030 RMK AO2 SLP259 T00440011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on February 29, 2024. 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 (Instructor) | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement (Instructor) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot Receiving Instruction) | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot's 6120 Attachment Statement (Pilot Receiving Instruction) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Pilot's Written Statement (Pilot Receiving Instruction) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Memorandum for Record - Landing Gear Warning Horn | 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.