Piper PA-39 accident near Thermal, California, July 17, 1993
On July 17, 1993 at about 2:45 am local time, a Piper PA-39, registered N8975Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thermal, California (Thermal 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 pilot's inadvertent movement of the landing gear selector switch to the up position. A factor in the accident was the difference in cockpit switch layout between the PA23 and PA39 aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1993 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Thermal, California · Thermal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-39 · all PA-39s on the register
- Registration
- N8975Y · no longer on the register · serial 39-141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking a multi engine class certification check ride. The pilot examiner stated that the applicant pilot had been flying a Piper PA23-160 for his multi engine training. The PA23 cockpit is set up with the landing gear selector handle on the right side of the power quadrant and the flap selector on the left. The PA23 was in the maintenance shop and the applicant was given the Piper PA39 for his flight test. The PA39 cockpit is set up with the landing gear selector handle on the left side of the power quadrant and the flap selector on the right. The examiner stated that during the traffic pattern he personally checked that the landing gear handle was in the DOWN position, with three green indicator lights. The aircraft made a normal landing. The examiner said that during the landing roll out his attention was distracted momentarily by locating the radio microphone. When he looked up again, the examiner saw the aircraft settling down on the runway with the landing gear selector handle in the UP position. According to the pilot's statement, he said that he was reaching for the flap handle to retract the landing flaps and mistakenly moved the gear handle instead.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 313 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 131 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,334 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1993; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Proflight, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,993 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from TRM
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.