Piper PA44 accident near Fairfield, New Jersey, January 12, 2025
On January 12, 2025 at about 7:25 pm local time, a 1989 Piper PA44, registered N711AV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Fairfield, New Jersey (Essex County 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’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in a gear up landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2025 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, New Jersey · Essex County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA44 180, built 1989 · all PA44s on the register
- Registration
- N711AV · registry record · serial 44-7995215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, while approaching the runway to land, the flight instructor told the pilot receiving instruction to check that the landing gear had been extended. While the instructor handled radio transmissions and watched an aircraft that was still on the runway, the pilot receiving instruction performed the prelanding checklist but did not extend the landing gear. Due to the distraction of the radios and traffic on the runway, the instructor did not notice that the landing gear remained stowed. During the flare to land, both pilots realized the landing gear remained up and the airplane settled onto the runway with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the landing gear and landing gear position warning system revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,516 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 310 as pilot in command; 1,150 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 21, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 430 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 25, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,789 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 6, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 5,595 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-A1H6 (piston); 1,408 hours total
- Operator: Aa Aero INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,552 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from CDW
Weather report (METAR): KCDW 121853Z 33006KT 10SM FEW043 05/M06 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP164 T00501056
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Landing Gear Examination Results | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N711AV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.