Buckland, AK, USA
N88TG
Piper PA31
According to the pilot, due to weather in the local area, he chose to conduct a straight-in landing approach rather than overfly the runway. After slowing the airspeed, he selected 15° of flaps, moved the landing gear down, and then selected full flaps. After landing, he realized that the landing gear were not extended, so he checked the landing gear handle and saw that it was in the neutral position and that no landing gear indicator lights were illuminated. The pilot reported that, when he moved the landing gear handle, he must have failed to place it in the full-down position; he added that he was distracted by standing water on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and added that the accident might have been prevented if he had followed the Before Landing checklist and not allowed the distractions and deviation from routine to alter his normal procedures.
According to the pilot, due to weather in the local area, he elected to conduct a straight in landing approach, rather than overfly the runway. After slowing the airplane's airspeed, he selected flaps down to 15°, landing gear down, followed by full flaps. The pilot stated that he was distracted by standing water on the runway, and he failed to confirm the landing gear was in the down and locked position. After landing, and realizing that the landing gear was not extended, he checked the landing gear handle which was in the down neutral position with no landing gear indicator lights illuminated. The pilot surmised that upon selection of the landing gear handle on the approach, he must have failed to place the landing gear handle in the full down position. The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had followed the airplane's checklist and not allowed the distractions and deviation from routine to alter his normal procedures.
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before landing due to distraction by the condition of the runway and his failure to use the Before Landing checklist.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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