Piper AEROSTAR 602P accident near Reno, Nevada, March 11, 2017
On March 11, 2017 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1981 Piper AEROSTAR 602P, registered N301FW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Reno, Nevada (Reno/Tahoe Intl airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left main landing gear to fully extend for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination and testing did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2017 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno/Tahoe Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 602P 602P, built 1981 · all AEROSTAR 602Ps on the register
- Registration
- N301FW · no longer on the register · serial 62P08838165018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported that, nearing the airport at the conclusion of a personal cross-country flight, he performed the before landing checklist. When he extended the landing gear, he noted that only the nose and right main landing gear (MLG) lights were illuminated, which indicated that the left MLG was not locked in the extended position. He then climbed and performed the emergency gear extension checklist, but the left MLG still did not extend. The pilot chose to continue flying to exhaust the fuel in the left tank before attempting to land. During landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and impacted two taxiway signs before coming to rest. A witness reported that it appeared that the left-side tire was sitting against the inside gear door and not fully extended. The pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight after a recent owner-assisted annual inspection, during which the left landing gear control valve was resealed with new "O" rings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right MLG side brace was broken, which would prevent gear retraction. During a partial gear-swing test, the MLG gear started to retract; however, immediately thereafter, the left side push-pull rod assembly that connected the gear door actuator to the MLG and door control valve failed and broke in half, likely due to impact damage. The push-pull rod and control valve were subsequently examined, and there was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the failure of the left MLG to fully extend could not be determined.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,663 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,663 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 15, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,959 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 6, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 6,315 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540-AA1A5 (piston); 7,263 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540-AA1A5 (piston); 6,565 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SZT Sandpoint ID at 7:00 pm
- Destination: MEV Minden NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 6,102 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KRNO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR17LA076.