The pilot stated that prior to entering the traffic pattern at the airport in The Dalles, Oregon, he did not visually verify or confirm that the landing gear positioning lights indicated that the gear was extended and locked.
After turning onto the base leg he deployed full flaps and conducted a memorized pre-landing checklist, however he stated that he was unsure if he verified that the gear was extended.
The Cessna T210-L subsequently touched down with the landing gear retracted, substantially damaging the lower fuselage.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to touch down. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to utilize the pre-landing checklist.
NTSB Identification: WPR15CA112
This February 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Looking is not enough for me, I always make physical contact with the control being checked to confirm that it is fully positioned according to GUMP, a quick glance can leave too much to chance. In fact I have always made it a point to make contact with every item on a checklist as I went through it. I am used to low wing so looking outside does no good but in the case of the 210 he had one gear within visual range and should have made it a point to look back there just for a Warm Fuzzy before putting that expensive machine on a runway.
Retractable gear is an accident waiting to happen. It’s why insurance companies penalize owners for owning planes with them.
Insurance companies look at risk and determine cost accordingly.
So, when one first gets into Complex aircraft, premiums are higher. Because I had >100 Complex time, and >50 Hi-perf time before getting to a Hi-perf/complex aircraft, I had to fly 5 hours with an instructor, then 10 hours solo, before being able to take Pax. And the following year, the special premium I had to pay (that was not shared with partners) was removed.
The rates for new/initial multi-pilots are high as well. Too much to get straight that can lead to gear up landings, or crashed plane because of Vmc issue, etc.
The more time one has in an airplane, the less likely one is to screw it up. And that is assuming one actually does some training between BFRs.
The pilot used GUMPS… at least he mouthed the mnemonic, which is sort of a checklist. Trouble came because he looked, but did not see, flew, but did not notice. His pax said she didn’t see the gear. He wrote that he reasured he by pointing at the gear down light… except he didn’t see that the light was amber. Though he didn’t mention whether there was conversation in the cockpit during the approach, that might be a plausible explanation for looking, but not seeing. I wonder whether a pre-landing checklist would have made any difference. If GAS UNDERCARRIAGE MIXTURE PROP SEAT-BELTS doesn’t trigger a correct sequence check, why would a piece of paper or a list on his favorite electronic device??
I agree. Call it expectation bias, complacency – we’re all susceptible to it and there are plenty of stories where it has caused terrible errors in all phases of aircraft operations (ground and air) and at every level of pilot certificate. A very important key to avoiding these problems is to simply know this is one of the most common traps into which pilots can fall, and generally the longer a pilot has been flying the more likely it can happen (I believe statistics always show it is least likely to happen to student pilots). So we should remember that and be ever more attentive as we go out to enjoy future flights.
Hi am joseph from Africa(Tanzania).I think checklist should be the first thing to notes before frying
LOL. You gotta wuve it Josups