Opalocka, FL, USA
N516DT
Aero Commander 500
The pilot reported that, during the descent to final, he began the GUMPS checklist. As he turned on the fuel tanks, he picked up interference on the radios. After fixing the radio situation, he continued the checklist. During the landing flare, he noticed that the "runway sight picture" seemed lower than normal. As he noticed this, he looked at the landing gear indicator, and the landing gear warning horn simultaneously sounded, so he initiated a go-around. While climbing to traffic pattern altitude, he noticed that he had failed to extend the landing gear. He added that he had not heard or felt the airplane contact the runway before the go-around. The pilot subsequently landed without incident and noted no damage during a cursory postflight inspection. He then departed and landed at another airport. Subsequently, he performed a more thorough postflight inspection of the airplane, during which he noticed that the marker beacon antenna was shaved off and that the lower fuselage of the airplane had sustained substantial damage consistent with ground contact.
At the conclusion of an uneventful flight, the commercial pilot approached the runway for landing. During the landing flare, the airplane landing gear warning horn activated, so the pilot initiated a go around. While climbing to traffic pattern altitude he noticed that the landing gear handle was in the up position. He did not hear or feel the airplane contact the runway. The pilot subsequently landed and departed without incident; however, after landing at another airport he performed a more thorough post-flight inspection of the airplane. He then noticed that the marker beacon antenna was shaved off and the lower fuselage had sustained substantial damage consistent with ground contact.
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear due to distraction and his delayed go-around, which allowed the airplane to get too low and contact the runway with the landing gear retracted.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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