Probable cause
The pilot's failure to verify that the main landing gear were extended, which resulted in landing with partially extended landing gear. Contributing to the accident was a tripped landing gear motor circuit breaker.
NTSB analysis
The pilot of the retractable, landing gear-equipped airplane reported that, after takeoff, there was an issue with the alternator. He checked the circuit breakers, which were "in," and decided to land at a nearby airport to have the alternator examined. During the approach, he placed the landing gear handle in the gear extended position. He said it felt "normal" but that he did not remember if he heard the landing gear motor. He did not look outside the high-wing airplane to check the landing gear position, and he did not remember seeing the green landing gear position lights illuminate. He added that the landing gear warning horn did not sound. He reported that, during landing, the nose landing gear was down and locked, but the main landing gear were trailing behind the airplane, and the airplane slid to the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that, if he knew the gear had not extended, he would have manually pumped the landing gear down.
The mechanic reported that, when he arrived at the airplane postaccident, the landing gear circuit breaker was popped. He jacked up the airplane and repositioned the landing gear and then turned on the power, pushed in the landing gear circuit breaker, and raised the landing gear. He did not recall hearing the warning horn but mentioned that the throttle "may have been pushed in." He successfully cycled the landing gear multiple times. The mechanic added that a previous pilot of the accident airplane reported that the landing gear circuit breaker would often pop and that he would lower the landing gear with the manual pump.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA398 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 10, 2019
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Petersburg, Virginia
- Nearest airport
- Dinwiddie County (PTB)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna R182
- N-number
- N757PU
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1979
- 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.