Pilot Debrief

BEECH A36 near New Orleans, LA — 2012-06-27

Final reportCEN12LA434
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Date
2012-06-27
Location
New Orleans, LA, USA
Airport
NEW
Aircraft
BEECH A36
Registration
N136EH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown.

NTSB narrative

The accident pilot reported that he extended the airplane’s landing gear and observed three green lights indicating that the gear was extended before landing. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down, bounced, and then settled on the runway again. The pilot said that during the second touchdown “it felt as thought the gear was not sound,” and he tried unsuccessfully to perform a go-around. The airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. When the accident airplane was removed from the runway after the accident, its landing gear was found in the retracted position, and ground scars on the runway and damage to the airplane’s propellers, landing gear doors, and belly were consistent with the landing gear not being extended before landing. Further, a witness in an airplane flying abeam the accident airplane during its approach to land reported that he did not see its landing gear extended. Postaccident examination revealed no indication of preimpact malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear. Although an intermittent landing gear horn anomaly was noted during postaccident examination, it could not be determined if that anomaly existed before the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot failed to verify landing gear was down before touchdown.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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