Pilot Misreads Instrument Lights During Landing (N7994R)

What happened

The aircraft touched down on the runway with the landing gear fully retracted. Following the touchdown and subsequent stop, the pilot observed that the red indicator light associated with the gear handle was illuminated and the warning horn was active. The pilot later explained that bright sunlight reflecting off the instrument panel created a glare that he interpreted as the three green lights indicating the gear was down and locked.

The investigation

Post-accident ground tests were conducted on the landing gear system. These functional checks confirmed that the landing gear mechanism operated normally and there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gear extension or retraction systems.

Findings

The pilot misinterpreted instrument panel glare as the green gear-down lights due to direct sunlight shining on the panel. The pilot also noted that the gear control circuit breaker was open, although this did not prevent normal function during post-accident testing.