Piper PA-44-180 accident near Prescott, Arizona, October 27, 2005
On October 27, 2005 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N8154H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A. Love Field 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 nose landing gear collapsing during the landing roll for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2005 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A. Love Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8154H · no longer on the register · serial 44-8107001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a nose landing gear collapse while on the landing roll. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that she was performing the landing in the multiengine airplane. The student kept his hands on the control yoke in an attempt to follow along with the instructor and feel her control inputs. While approaching the runway surface, the instructor configured the airplane for a power-off landing and retarded the throttles. She noted that all three landing gear lights in the cockpit were illuminated green in indication that landing gear was in a down and locked position. She confirmed this configuration visually by looking at the reflection of the extended landing gear in a small mirror located on the wing. Upon touchdown, the main landing gear made contact with the runway and the student pilot began to reach for the landing gear handle thinking that it was the flap handle. The instructor waved her hand to block him and told him "no." The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid on the nose. After the airplane came to rest the instructor noted that the landing gear handle was in the "down" position. The student pilot stated that he did not touch the landing gear handle. A mechanic repairing the airplane reported that the landing gear and linkages were all intact with no anomalies noted. The actuator could not be tested due to the extent of the damage.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 577 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 170 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 87 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TO-360-EIA6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Aire, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21L, 7,550 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.