Probable cause
The collapse of the left main landing gear for undetermined reasons.
NTSB analysis
The commercial pilot reported that while back-taxiing at night on the takeoff runway, he cycled the propeller twice, pulled the throttle back to idle, and heard an irregular noise. He then felt ground contact, consistent with the airplane’s left main landing gear collapsing. He immediately shut off the mixtures to both engines. The pilot reported that he did not recognize that the landing gear was slowly collapsing because of the dark night conditions. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Therefore, the reason for the landing gear collapse could not be determined.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA279 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 12, 2019
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Charlotte Amalie
- Nearest airport
- Cyril E King (TIST)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Night
Piper PA23
- N-number
- N269KW
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1966
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.