On July 8, 1985, a Piper PA-24-250 (registration N7474P) was involved in an aviation accident near Peachtree City, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear due to inattention while concentrating on radio technique, compounded by his lack of experience with retractable-gear aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot with limited experience in retractable-gear aircraft forgot to lower the landing gear during his second landing attempt, focusing instead on radio technique as instructed by his instructor.
What happened
The pilot reported that he failed to extend the landing gear prior to touchdown. He explained that the majority of his flight time had been accumulated in aircraft equipped with fixed landing gear, which likely contributed to the oversight. During this specific flight, his instructor had directed him to focus on improving his radio communication techniques during the second landing attempt. While executing this phase of the flight, the pilot successfully extended the flaps but neglected to lower the landing gear.
The investigation
No mechanical failure or external factor was cited as a cause for the incident. The investigation focused on the pilot's actions and decision-making process during the approach and landing sequence.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear due to inattention while concentrating on radio technique, compounded by his lack of experience with retractable-gear aircraft.
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