What happened
The incident occurred during a personal flight conducted in the local area. The aircraft was operating within the traffic pattern, specifically performing touch-and-go landings. During one of these maneuvers, the pilot's daughter became airsick.
In response to her condition, the pilot attempted to locate an air sickness bag for her. This task caused him to become distracted from his primary flying duties. Consequently, he failed to extend the landing gear before initiating the final phase of the approach.
The pilot was wearing a headset during the operation. Despite the aircraft's configuration being unsafe for landing, he did not hear the landing gear warning horn. The distraction prevented him from noticing the auditory alert that would have indicated the gear was not down and locked.
The investigation
Examination of the event highlights a critical lapse in situational awareness. The pilot's attention was diverted to a non-flying task at a critical phase of flight. The failure to monitor the landing gear position directly resulted from this distraction.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the unsafe situation was pilot distraction. The act of searching for medical supplies for a passenger took precedence over aircraft configuration checks. Additionally, the pilot's reliance on auditory cues while wearing a headset proved insufficient when his attention was not directed toward the cockpit environment. The failure to lower the landing gear is classified as human error due to task saturation and loss of situational awareness.
Safety message
Pilots must prioritize aircraft control and configuration during critical phases of flight, such as the traffic pattern and final approach. Distractions should be minimized or delegated if possible. Crew members should assist with non-flying tasks to allow the pilot to maintain focus on flying the airplane and monitoring instruments.