Piper PA34 accident near San Diego, California, April 10, 2018
On April 10, 2018 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1972 Piper PA34, registered N4567T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Diego, California (Brown Field Muni). 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 and flight instructor’s failure to properly configure the landing gear before landing, which resulted in landing with the landing gear retracted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2018 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Brown Field Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA34 200, built 1972 · all PA34s on the register
- Registration
- N4567T · registry record · serial 34-7250136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the pilot receiving instruction performed a simulated single-engine approach. He wanted to be able to communicate more easily with the pilot, so he set the simulated failed engine to 15 inches of mercury manifold pressure since the landing gear warning horn will sound if the manifold pressure is set below 14 inches of mercury. He added that he did not verify the gear was down and locked with the three green extended lights illuminated. He reported that, just before landing, he heard the landing gear warning horn but attributed it to the stall warning horn. The pilot receiving instruction reported that he did not recall hearing any audible alarm. The airplane landed with the gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both the wings. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 5,239 hours in all; 833 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 5,065 as pilot in command; 4,656 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 11, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 409 hours in all; 45 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 15, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,151 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 20, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 1,592 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LIO-360-C1E6 (piston); 1,042 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: SDM San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 7,972 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KSDM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 12, 2018. 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 | Accident Photo | 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.
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.