What happened
The pilot was conducting flight training that involved practicing an actual single-engine landing procedure. During the approach phase, the aircraft's landing gear warning horn activated, indicating that the gear had not been lowered. The pilot heard the audible alert but incorrectly attributed the sound to the radar altimeter instead of recognizing it as a gear warning.
As a result of this misidentification, the pilot did not take corrective action to extend the landing gear before touchdown. The aircraft landed with the wheels retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and landing gear components. The incident occurred while the aircraft was operating within the airport traffic pattern at a low altitude.
The investigation
Following the accident, investigators reviewed the circumstances surrounding the event. The pilot provided a statement acknowledging that he had forgotten to lower the landing gear during the maneuver. He admitted that performing actual single-engine landings at low altitudes or within the active traffic pattern is not standard practice. Instead, such procedures should be simulated by reducing throttle on one engine while keeping the other at full power.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to lower the landing gear. This error was compounded by his misinterpretation of the warning horn as a radar altimeter signal. The investigation noted that actual single-engine landings are generally discouraged in traffic patterns due to the high workload and low margin for error involved.
Gear not extended was the critical mechanical state at impact. The pilot's admission confirmed that the procedure was being performed incorrectly relative to standard safety guidelines for engine-out training.