Piper PA-34-200 accident near Zephyrhills, Florida, March 1, 2024
On March 1, 2024 at about 7:34 pm local time, a 1972 Piper PA-34-200, registered N15529, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Zephyrhills, Florida (Zephyrhills Muni 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 lower the landing gear before touchdown, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2024 · about 7:34 pm local time
- Place
- Zephyrhills, Florida · Zephyrhills Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200, built 1972 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N15529 · registry record · serial 34-7350072
- 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, he was landing at his home airport where multiple runways were in use and multiple airplanes were operating in the traffic pattern. The pilot stated that his “pre-landing checklist got interrupted checking for traffic” and he completed the landing with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During recovery of the airplane, the landing gear operated normally when the landing gear handle was placed in the down position.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,029 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 2,422 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 4,362 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBOW Bartow FL at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from KZPH
Weather report (METAR): METAR KZPH 011935Z AUTO 13010G14KT 10SM SCT042 BKN055 OVC090 28/17 A3018 RMK A02 T02790172
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 October 10, 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 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement Supplement | 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.