Aurora State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aurora, Oregon 97002
Tuesady, January 18, 2011 15:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he entered the airport's traffic pattern for landing and landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted. He said that he did not use a landing checklist, and that he was wearing a noise-canceling headset and did not hear the landing gear caution horn when he reduced the throttle for landing. The bottom of the airplane sustained structural damage requiring the replacement of several bulkheads and associated stringers, as well as a significant area of skin.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Aurora
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97002
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 451509N
Event Location Longitude 1224609W
Event Location Airport Aurora State
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UAO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28173
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2011 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3TP
NTSB Number WPR11CA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-2042
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Phillip C. Spencer
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tigard
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Phillip C. Spencer
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tigard
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2S6
Departure City Newberg
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UAO
Destination City Aurora
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2011 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 5004
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --