The flight instructor reported that during the instructional flight focused on takeoffs and landings, the landing checklist was called during the seventh landing, but due to the “wind effects,” the landing gear was not extended.
During the approach to the airport in St Charles, Missouri, the Beech 76 was configured with the left engine operating normally while the right engine was operating to simulate zero thrust.
The airplane touched down on the runway centerline with the landing gear retracted. It slid to the left, departed the runway, and hit a landing light fixture. The lower fuselage longerons were substantially damaged.
The flight instructor reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to extend the landing gear. Contributing to the accident were the pilot receiving instruction’s failure to complete the landing checklist and the flight instructor’s inadequate monitoring of the pilot.
Was fatigue a factor also after a 3.1 hour instructional lesson and 7 landings? Adding distraction with a zero-thrust engine made this additionally challenging in a crosswind (distraction).
This April 2019 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.
Always had backup pneumonic as the Four F’s:
Final
Fuel*
Flaps
Forward (props)
*wouldn’t change tank unless I thought engine was quitting.
Of course, these 4 F’s only serve as a backstop to normal procedures. But the First F saved my bacon one cold winter night when I was ferrying home a Twin Comanche with a failed Janitrol heater. Was so numb I thought I did GUMP on the downwind. Caught no green just as I turned final. The second downwind I got GUMP done correctly.
I Once lined up to what appeared to be a perfect landing, I was greasing it in until I heard a grating sound. Reflex and training made me hit the throttle and climb. It was a few seconds later when I realized that I had touched the runway with gears up. Fortunately , I only caused a small 2 inch scrape on the stern part of my Keel. Lesson learned. always use your check list . I now have the mnemonic “G.I.F.F.T.S.” pasted on my instrument panel
Fast foward a few years. I’m flying over a desert mountain range. My Searey has become an aeronautical Kayak navigating through rapids. Next up was flying through congested airspace. And finally I had my home field in site. Radio calls and clearance confirmed, Im on a nicely set up final until the tower says… “Searey, go around immediately, lower your gears .”
Saved by the tower. I’ve put my plane away this week. What went wrong? a 5 hr flight took 7.1 hours of extreme focus to complete and I forgot to include that mnemonic check list which was pasted right in front of me.
My MEI instructor always insisted on ‘ three greens,props full forward ‘ as a last check on short final. That could have avoided a lot of the multi training incidents I’ve read about over the years .
I just completed my check out on retractable airplane. All maneuvers were conducted at a very safe altitude. Even engine fire with emergency off airport landing. All training was completed and recovery at a safe altitude. We don’t conduct stalls at traffic pattern altitude. We did my check out over two days. My second day was much better because of the days rest .
The multi-engine checkride requires an approach and landing with an inoperative engine.
3.1 hours training flight with 7 landings. Add simulated engine out landing to the equation. What was the instructor thinking before the flight? This session should have been broken down into 2 sessions. One in the morning and one in the afternoon or 1 a day over 2 days. It is obvious that both the pilot and the instructor were mentally fatiqued.
Gear goes down much later (when runway is made) – awkwardness of maneuvering with one engine, less power (throttle has to be moved up much more) and more yawing, more danger of getting below Vmc. Many additional distractions.