Piper PA-28RT-201 N279SR

Summary

On 23 February 2026 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 registered N279SR, operated by Metro Aircraft Co, was involved in an accident near Glencoe, Minnesota, 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

23 February 2026 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Glencoe, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Glencoe Muni (GYL)

Coordinates

44.7560, -94.0815

Aircraft

Piper PA-28RT-201

Registration

N279SR

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Metro Aircraft Co

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eden Prairie → Eden Prairie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CEN26LA124

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an instructional flight, the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction completed air work followed by simulated power-off landings. According to the flight instructor, while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot receiving instruction “broke the sterile cockpit,” did not complete the checklist, and did not extend the landing gear. The flight instructor reported that she became distracted and did not confirm that the student extended the landing gear. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage longerons. The flight instructor stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.