Piper PA-31T N112ED

Summary

On 13 December 2007 at about 01:29 local time, a Piper PA-31T registered N112ED, operated by Darby Aviation, was involved in an accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 December 2007 at 01:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Muscle Shoals (MLS)

Coordinates

34.7453, -87.6103

Aircraft

Piper PA-31T

Registration

N112ED

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Darby Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Worth → Muscle Shoals

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC08CA073

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While conducting an instrument approach, the pilot of a Piper PA-31T crossed the initial approach fix and descended to 2,300 feet, per the instrument approach procedure. Upon reaching the final approach fix, he then selected 1,200 feet in the altitude preselect and almost simultaneously visually acquired the runway and visual approach slope indicator. The pilot then "became distracted," and" forgot to extend the [landing] gear." He then fully extended the wing flaps, but the power setting remained above the "trigger point" for the landing gear warning horn. The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted and was substantially damaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.