Piper PA 30 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, August 8, 2019
On August 8, 2019 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA 30, registered N10KC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the landing gear due to the nose gear being positioned to the far right during retraction, which caused the nose gear to jam upon retraction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2019 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix-Mesa Gateway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 30 No Series, built 1964 · all PA 30s on the register
- Registration
- N10KC · no longer on the register · serial 30-309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight practicing a single-engine approach and go-around, the flight instructor and student pilot noticed that the landing gear would not fully retract. In addition, the landing gear circuit breaker was in the open position. The flight instructor reset the circuit breaker and attempted to cycle the landing gear but was unsuccessful because the circuit breaker popped back to the open position on each cycle attempt. Attempts to manually extend the landing gear were unsuccessful. Subsequently, the flight instructor elected to land with the landing gear intentionally in the retracted position, resulting to substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the nose gear was positioned to the far right turn position when the pilots attempted to retract the nose gear while practicing a single engine out landing and takeoff. Therefore, the centering mechanism was not able to center the nose gear, resulting in a jammed nose gear, which also likely tripped the circuit breaker.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Capability exceeded
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 32,400 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 29,900 as pilot in command; 868 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 31, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 503 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 389 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,449.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 762 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 509 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 2:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12L, 9,300 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 am from KIWA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KIWA 081555Z 15004KT 10SM FEW120 BKN250 33/17 A2992 RMK ACFT MSHP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 22, 2022. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Email | PDF, 1 page | 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.