Piper PA-30 accident near Walla Walla, Washington, July 22, 2009
On July 22, 2009 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7504Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Walla Walla, Washington (Walla Walla Regional 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
A tripped landing gear motor circuit breaker, which prevented the gear from fully locking in the down position, and subsequent collapse during landing. Contributing to the accident was the disabled landing gear warning horn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2009 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Walla Walla, Washington · Walla Walla Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7504Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-566
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he stayed in the airport traffic pattern, and completed one takeoff and landing. Prior to the second landing, the landing gear was down, all indications appeared normal, and he did not hear an audible alert when he reduced power for landing. As the airplane touched down, the landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The pilot stated that he noticed smoke coming from the circuit breaker panel on the floor as he exited the airplane. The operator reported that they had previously been having trouble with the landing gear circuit breaker popping during gear extension and retraction. Six flight hours prior to the accident, they had replaced numerous landing gear system components including the landing gear motor circuit breaker. Ground and flight tests had been successfully completed without a recurrence, which led them to believe that the situation had been resolved. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear motor circuit breaker had tripped, which prevented the landing gear from fully locking in the down position. The landing gear warning circuit is powered by the landing gear motor circuit, and would not activate with the circuit breaker tripped.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Land gear sys wiring › Malfunction
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Inoperative
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,320 hours in all; 258 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 2,215 as pilot in command; 1,684 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 28, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,781 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 2008; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Walla Walla University
The flight
- Departed from: Walla Walla WA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: Walla Walla WA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 20, 6,527 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KALW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.