What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was operating in the traffic pattern at an airport. The pilot initiated a 360-degree turn specifically to provide additional time for another aircraft to complete its departure sequence. After completing this maneuver and re-entering the standard traffic pattern, the pilot continued with the landing approach without performing the required pre-landing checklist review.
The pilot had placed the checklist on his instrument panel but failed to consult it during the critical phase of flight. It was not until the moment of touchdown that the pilot realized he had neglected to lower the landing gear. The aircraft subsequently touched down on its belly, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and undercarriage components.
The investigation
Examination of the accident site and the aircraft revealed no mechanical failures with the landing gear mechanism itself. The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the pattern entry and approach. Evidence indicated that the checklist was accessible on the instrument panel but was not referenced during the post-turn phase of the flight.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the pilot's failure to complete the pre-landing checklist. The decision to perform a 360-degree turn for traffic separation introduced a distraction that interrupted the standard flow of landing preparations. This interruption led to the omission of a critical safety step: verifying the position of the landing gear before commencing the final approach and touchdown.
The lack of adherence to established checklist procedures, particularly in a high-workload environment involving other traffic, directly resulted in the gear-up landing. No mechanical defects or weather conditions contributed to the outcome.