Piper PA-24-180 incident near Van Nuys, California, January 3, 1982
On January 3, 1982 at about 10:41 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N5018P, suffered minor damage in an incident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 1982 · about 10:41 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5018P · registry record · serial 24-21
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DID NOT GET A GEAR DOWN INDICATION PRIOR TO LANDING. THE TOWER AND THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT OBSERVED THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR NOT FULLY EXTENDED. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO EXTEND THE GEAR FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS UNSUCCESSFULLY, THE PILOT LANDED GEAR UP ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAIN GEAR RETRACT ASSEMBLY CABLE HOUSING HAD SEPARATED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,333 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.