Piper PA-24-250 accident near California City, California, April 9, 2005
On April 9, 2005 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7737P, was substantially damaged in an accident near California City, California (California City Municipal Arpt 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 normal landing gear system to extend for undetermined reasons that resulted in a gear collapse during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2005 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · California City Municipal Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7737P · registry record · serial 24-2951
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The gear collapsed on landing. En route, the pilot encountered turbulence, and climbed to 10,500 feet. As he crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he observed an overcast layer over the San Joaquin Valley. He did not have an instrument rating and decided to divert back across the mountains to the airport where the accident occurred. During the descent, he encountered very heavy turbulence. On downwind, he selected the landing gear down, but it failed to extend, giving neither an up-or-down indication on the position lights. He observed the landing gear circuit breaker had popped out, and attempted to reset it, but it would immediately pop back out. He then activated the emergency gear extension system. In his report of the accident he stated, "I pulled on the handle and felt it was locked." On approach, the pilot experienced strong crosswinds and turbulence, and just after touchdown, the landing the gear collapsed. The airplane skidded approximately 200 feet along the runway. The reason for the failure of the landing gear system to extend normally was not determined.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2004; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HII Lake Havasu AZ at 5:00 pm
- Destination: PTV Porterville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,027 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from EDW, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.