Piper PA 31T - II accident near Oakland, California, September 24, 2014
On September 24, 2014 at about 3:10 am local time, a 1979 Piper PA 31T - II, registered N774MF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Oakland, California (Metropolitan Oakland Intl airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear which resulted in a gear-up landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use the checklist and reported stress.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2014 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · Metropolitan Oakland Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 31T - II, built 1979 · all PA 31T - IIs on the register
- Registration
- N774MF · no longer on the register · serial 31T-7920035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while on an instrument landing system (ILS) approach for the medical life-flight, he was struggling to keep the airplane on the localizer and glide path. As the airplane descended through 800 to 900 feet above the ground, he broke out of the cloud layer but had difficulty locating the runway in the dark night conditions. During the landing flare he reduced the throttle and as the airplane touched down on the runway surface, he realized the landing gear were retracted; he did not hear any horns. The pilot recalled that when he selected the landing gear, he may have put the handle in neutral rather than keeping his hand on the lever and waiting for the three green lights to illuminate confirming the extended position. He did not follow his normal checklists because of the demands of the ILS approach. He also cited a few stressors in his life that may have contributed to a distraction including a change of airplanes and few ILS approaches performed in the recent six months. The pilot further added that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the lower fuselage and engine mounts.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Mental/emotional state › Stress › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,718 hours in all; 239 in this make and model; 9,614 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Medflight INC
The flight
- Departed from: KRNO Reno NV at 1:55 am
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28R, 5,458 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on December 5, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.