Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary DEN00LA153

ERIE, CO, USA

Aircraft #1

N5549Q

Mooney M20C

Analysis

At the completion of a cross-country flight, the flight was on final approach when the pilot was distracted by a truck, which was parked on one of the exit taxiways from the runway. Subsequently, the pilot failed to lower the landing gear and made a landing gear retracted landing.

Factual Information

On July 24, 2000, at 1300 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N5549Q, sustained substantial damage during a wheels up landing at Tri-County Airport, Erie, Colorado. The private pilot and sole occupant was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area cross country flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Longmont, Colorado, at 1230. According to the pilot, he was distracted by a truck, which was parked on one of the exit taxiways from the runway, and he forgot to lower the landing gear. During the landing, the aircraft sustained damage to the belly skin, ribs, and stringers.

Probable Cause and Findings

Failure by the pilot to follow procedures and lower the landing gear.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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