Piper PA-24-250 accident near Tacoma, Washington, November 3, 2005
On November 3, 2005 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N1959P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tacoma, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapse of the landing gear due to the pilot's failure to use the emergency gear extension system after his aircraft experienced a complete loss of electrical power. Factors include the malfunction of the voltage regulating system, which lead to the almost total discharge of the battery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2005 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Tacoma, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N1959P · registry record · serial 24419
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After making contact with the tower, and being cleared for a left base entry, the pilot completed his before landing check and lowered the landing gear. He then tried to call the tower to report he was entering the base leg, but realized that his radio was not transmitting. The aircraft subsequently experienced a complete loss of electrical power, and the pilot was therefore unable to confirm the gear was down and locked, as the green Gear Down lights were unable to illuminate. The pilot then flew low over the runway until he felt the main wheels touch the runway surface, and then he executed a go-around. After completing the go-around, the pilot went around the pattern and executed what he thought was going to be a normal full stop landing. But just after the aircraft touched down, the landing gear folded back up into the wheel wells, and the aircraft skidded down the runway on its belly. The investigation later determined that the gear had not fully extended because of the loss of electrical power. It was also determined that although the aircraft's battery and alternator were capable of operating normally, the voltage regulating system had malfunctioned, thus allowing the battery to become almost fully discharged. The pilot did not use the emergency gear extension system/sequence to make sure of the position and condition of the landing gear, but instead trusted the gear to be fully down and locked just because he felt the tires touch the runway surface during the low pass.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 769 hours in all; 98 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1S0 Spanaway WA
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.