Piper PA-28-201T accident near Santa Ana, California, January 21, 2011
On January 21, 2011 at about 9:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-201T, registered N47589, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Santa Ana, California (John Wayne airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left main landing gear due to the lack of lubrication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2011 · about 9:57 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-201T · all PA-28-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N47589 · registry record · serial 28R-7703404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, when he put the landing gear down, he did not receive an indication in the cockpit that the nosewheel was engaged. He recycled the landing gear but still did not receive an indication that the gear was engaged. He then flew by the air traffic control tower and the controller reported that the landing gear appeared to be down; however, on the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that components of the main landing gear retraction system lacked recent lubrication. The grease fittings on the components had been painted over, and there was no evidence of grease on the movable parts. The landing gear’s ball joints and movable surfaces all appeared to be dry. The lack of lubrication prevented the left main landing gear from locking in the down position, resulting in its collapse during the landing roll.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,643 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Employ/Ease Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 67L Mesquite NV at 7:50 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 2,887 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11LA108.