Piper PA28R accident near Kewanee, Illinois, December 16, 2016
On December 16, 2016 at about 7:20 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA28R, registered N55484, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Kewanee, Illinois (Kewanee Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear during the approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2016 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kewanee, Illinois · Kewanee Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R 200, built 1973 · all PA28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N55484 · registry record · serial 28R-7335241
- 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, en route on an instrument flight rules flight plan in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the airplane began accumulating ice, and shortly thereafter, he requested a "precautionary diversion" to the nearest airport to land. The pilot further reported that he exited IMC about 1,642 ft above ground level and circled over the diversion airport for landing. He reported that he had kept the flaps and landing gear retracted "to not adversely affect lift" and forgot to extend the landing gear before landing. However, when the airplane was over the runway threshold he reduced power, which caused the auto-extend function of the landing gear system to attempt to extend the landing gear. During the landing roll, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane gradually slid off the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. In the Procedures section of the Piper Arrow II Pilot's Operating Manual, it states in part: Some aircraft are equipped with an airspeed-power sensing system (backup gear extender) which extends the landing gear under low airspeed-power conditions even though the pilot may not have selected gear down. For normal operation, the pilot should extend and retract the gear with the gear selector switch located on the instrument panel, just as he would if the backup gear extender system were not installed. The manual also states: The red gear warning light on the instrument panel and the horn operate simultaneously when: On aircraft equipped with the backup gear extender, when the system has lowered the landing gear and the gear selector switch is not in the down position and the throttle is not full open.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 316 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 620 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 19, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,291.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 3,262 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVN Davenport IA at 6:50 pm
- Destination: LUK Cincinnati OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KGBG, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 21, 2017. 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 | Memorandum for Record – Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Arrow II Pom Procedures | 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.