Piper PA-44-180 accident near Inverness, Florida, March 21, 2008
On March 21, 2008 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N730FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Inverness, Florida (Inverness 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 student pilot's improper landing flare and the flight examiner's inadequate remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2008 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Inverness, Florida · Inverness 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
- N730FT · no longer on the register · serial 447995190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During taxi, the "gear unsafe" light illuminated and would not extinguish. After the unsafe indication was reported to the operator, maintenance personnel discovered that the nose landing gear support structure including both the left and right gear well webs, were substantially damaged. According to the check pilot of a previous flight, he was giving a flight examination for a multiengine rating when during a landing, the student pilot landed hard and the right main landing gear tire "burst." The student and check pilot were unable to maintain directional control, the airplane departed the right side of the runway and the nose landing gear "dug in to the soft ground." A company mechanic replaced the right main landing gear tire as it "blew on landing." The right main landing gear was inspected after the runway excursion; however, no record of the nose gear being inspected was discovered.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Designated examiner
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Not specified
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 71 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,953 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISM Kissimee FL
- Destination: X40 Inverness FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 3,762 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from BKV, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N730FT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.