History
On 4 February 2011, at approximately 11:00 UTC, a Piper PA-34/220T, registration CS-DEV, departed from Évora Municipal Aerodrome for a personnel verification flight (examination) for multi-engine pilot qualification. The aircraft carried a student pilot and a flight instructor. Around 12:50, while on the downwind leg for runway 01, the instructor reduced the power on engine No. 1 to simulate an engine failure and set up for a single-engine approach and landing. The student maintained control while the instructor performed the engine failure procedures and configured the aircraft for landing with 25° of flaps.
Due to difficulty establishing communication with the aerodrome tower because other aircraft were on the frequency, the instructor became distracted from completing the checklists and procedures, focusing on trying to contact the tower. The Aerodrome Information and Traffic Advisor (AITA), located in the control tower, noticed the landing gear was not extended and attempted to warn the crew. The warning came too late—when the instructor reduced power on the operating engine to slow down for landing, about 3 meters above the runway, the horn indicating “gear not down and locked” activated. The aircraft touched the runway with the lower fuselage and propeller tips, slid a few meters, veered left, exited the runway, and stopped on the grass at approximately 60° to the runway heading. The crew shut down the engines and electrical systems before evacuating unaided.
Injuries
Both pilots were uninjured.
Aircraft Damage
The aircraft sustained minor damage to the lower fuselage, main wheel hub covers, nose gear doors, and propeller blade tips.
Personnel
The flight crew consisted of a 34-year-old male instructor holding a CPL(A) with SEP, MEP, IR, and FI ratings, with 2,100 total flight hours (114:36 on type). The student was a 27-year-old male holding a student pilot authorization, with 154:37 total hours (17:44 on type).
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-34 (serial number 3449306, built in 2004) is a twin-engine, low-wing, metal monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear. The landing gear is hydraulically actuated and electrically controlled. In case of hydraulic failure, the gear can be extended by gravity via an emergency control. The gear is held down by mechanical locks assisted by springs.
Analysis
The instructor, while managing the simulated engine failure and approach, was preoccupied with trying to contact the tower, which led to neglecting the landing gear extension and checklist verification. The gear warning horn did not activate until the instructor reduced power on the operating engine, by which time the aircraft was too low to abort the landing.
Conclusions
Established facts: The aircraft departed runway 01 for an exam flight. During the approach for a simulated engine failure landing, the landing gear was not extended. The crew did not verify the approach/landing checklist. The tower attempted to warn the crew but was unable to prevent the gear-up landing. Both pilots were uninjured, and the aircraft sustained minor damage.
Causes of the incident: The failure to extend the landing gear and the non-verification of the approach/landing checklist.