Piper PA24 accident near Madera, California, September 20, 2012
On September 20, 2012 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA24, registered N8648P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Madera, California (Madera Municipal 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's and flight instructor’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was extended prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2012 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Madera, California · Madera Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24 260 · all PA24s on the register
- Registration
- N8648P · registry record · serial 24-4091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident occurred during an instructional flight while practicing landings. The flight instructor reported that he became distracted while teaching his student and forgot to ensure that the landing gear was extended before landing. He stated that the landing gear warning horn came on just before the airplane landed gear up, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- 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: 6,150 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 4,253 as pilot in command; 4,092 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 16, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,317 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCH Fresno CA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: MAE Madera CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,545 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MAE
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.
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.