N558RW

Substantial
None

PIPER PA-46S/N: 4697346

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
NTSB Number
WPR12CA310
Location
Delano, CA
Event ID
20120718X75927
Coordinates
35.745555, -119.236389
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform the appropriate checklist due to distractions posed by another airplane inbound to the same airport and a cluttered radio frequency.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N558RW
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
4697346
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2008
Model / ICAO
PA-46PA46
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
STEWART JAMES TRUSTEE
Address
1428 LIVINGSTON AVE
Status
Deregistered
City
PACIFICA
State / Zip Code
CA 94044-3962
Country
United States

Analysis

The owner was the only person on board, and was using the turboprop airplane for a personal business trip. When he was about 10 miles south-southeast of the non-towered destination airport, he heard the pilot of a twin-engine airplane report that he was approaching the same airport from the north. The winds favored a landing on runway 32, and the turboprop pilot planned to fly a straight-in approach for landing on that runway. When the turboprop pilot was on about a 5-mile final for runway 32, he heard the twin pilot announce that he was on a left base leg for runway 14. When the turboprop pilot was on about a 2-mile final for runway 32, he observed the twin on his traffic display; at that time the twin was still about 6 miles out from the airport. Constant radio transmissions from aircraft at two other non-towered airports in the vicinity precluded the turboprop pilot from communicating clearly with the twin pilot, in order to coordinate their arrivals. However, based on the information from his traffic display, the turboprop pilot continued his straight-in approach for runway 32. Due to the distractions of the other airplane and the radio communication difficulties, the turboprop pilot forgot to extend the landing gear, which he did not realize until touchdown. The airplane came to rest upright and intact, about 50 feet off the side of the runway. The pilot was uninjured. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that he had traveled internationally at least twice in the preceding weeks, and that he experienced some "mental fatigue." It was not determined whether or when the twin landed at that same airport.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR12CA310