Piper PA23 accident near Montgomery, Alabama, June 25, 2024
On June 25, 2024 at about 6:13 pm local time, a 1971 Piper PA23, registered N14175, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Montgomery, Alabama (Montgomery Rgnl (Dannelly Fld) 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 failure of the nose landing gear actuator to maintain a fully down and locked position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2024 · about 6:13 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery, Alabama · Montgomery Rgnl (Dannelly Fld) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23 250, built 1971 · all PA23s on the register
- Registration
- N14175 · registry record · serial 27-4739
- 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 he was completing a practice instrument approach, and after extending the landing gear he saw 3 green lights, indicating the landing gear were down and locked. He continued the approach as normal and touched down on the main landing gear, but as the nose lowered it continued “straight to the ground.” The airplane skidded on its nose down the runway before coming to a stop. The forward lower portion of the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. Following the accident, the nose landing gear actuator was removed, and bench-tested under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The test revealed that when hydraulic pressure was removed from extension side of the actuator it began an uncommanded movement in the opposite, landing gear retraction, direction. This uncommanded movement was likely due to internal leakage in the actuator, which would have prevented the nose landing gear from remaining in the fully down and locked 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 collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,701 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,522 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,730 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2024; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 3: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 8,565 hours total
- Engine 4: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 3,787 hours total
- Operator: Box Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 9,020 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from MGM, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMGM 251753Z 27007KT 10SM CLR 37/16 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP139 T03670156 10367 20233 58005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of the airplane on the runway.
Photograph 2 – View of damage to the nose of the airplane.
Photograph 3 – View of damage to the nose of the airplane.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on September 4, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Seatbelt Usage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Federal Aviation Administration Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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.