Piper PA-30 N26RJ

Summary

On 2 September 2025 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N26RJ was involved in an accident near Caro, Michigan, United States. One person was 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

2 September 2025 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Caro, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Tuscola Area (CFS)

Coordinates

43.4589, -83.4454

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N26RJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bellaire → Caro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA361

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to remove the tow bar before flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After departure, the pilot noticed the landing gear position indicator light did not show that the landing gear was retracted and the circuit breaker was tripped. He cycled the circuit breaker a few times and it kept tripping. The pilot then diverted to an airport where he normally had maintenance performed on his airplane. While landing, the airplane veered sharply to the right and went through a ditch which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage. After the accident, it was discovered the pilot had forgotten to remove the tow bar he used to pull the airplane out of the hangar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.