The pilot in the Beechcraft Baron reported that, during the flight, his GPS had fallen from its mount and the antenna cable became wrapped around the landing gear switch.
Before landing, he applied aft pressure to the yoke to enter the flare, and the antenna cable moved the landing gear switch to the retract position.
The airplane landed at the airport in Suffolk, Virginia, with the landing gear retracted and skidded to a stop on the runway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage longerons and stringers and the wing-spar carry-through.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly secure the portable GPS and antenna cable, which resulted in the inadvertent landing gear retraction during landing.
NTSB Identification: GAA18CA251
This April 2018 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.
What caused the GPS to fall from its dock? How long before the landing did this happen? Was the pilot in the pattern and encountered wake turbulence?
Things don’t just fall. Something precipitated this.
According to the pilot’s report it happened during the flight. Pattern entry and approach were normal with checklist completed. This is the video from the NTSB report showing how the cable was inadvertently positioned behind the aileron trim wheel causing it to raise the gear control. Very unfortunate.
https://dms.ntsb.gov/public/61500-61999/61584/618604.mov
sigh.
Great story.
I’ll call BS. The landing gear switch has a simple lock.
My theory is the portable GPS fell and the pilot just failed to lower the gear.
There’s a video in the docket items showing how it can or did happen.