Piper PA-24-260 accident near Los Angeles, California, September 26, 2017
On September 26, 2017 at about 11:38 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA-24-260, registered N9020P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Los Angeles, California (Whiteman Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2017 · about 11:38 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Whiteman Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260, built 1966 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9020P · registry record · serial 4482
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was concluding a personal flight. He stated that he lowered the landing gear while preparing to land and felt the airplane's drag increase; however, he could not remember if he got confirmation that the landing gear were down and locked from the indicator light in the cockpit. He stated that the landing flare was normal but that as the airplane continued the landing roll, all three landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that all the landing gear were in the gear wells. The main landing gear doors were not damaged and only the nose landing gear door had light scratches, which is likely due to the landing gear being in the retracted position as the airplane touched down on the runway. A landing gear swing was accomplished, and no mechanical malfunctions or failures were revealed 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 (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 664 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 467 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,201 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-O4A5 (piston); 2,702 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: WHP Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,120 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 11:38 pm from KWHP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR17LA217.