What happened
The solo commercial air taxi pilot was operating an aircraft in the vicinity of an airport, initially intending to land on one specific runway. However, during the approach phase, the pilot made the decision to change course and land at the opposite end of the runway.
While managing this transition, the pilot was actively observing another airplane that was departing from the airport. In a moment of divided attention, the pilot placed his hand on the landing gear control handle but failed to complete the action of extending the landing gear. Consequently, the aircraft touched down on the runway without its landing gear deployed, resulting in a gear-up landing.
The investigation
Following the incident, an examination of the aircraft was conducted to assess the extent of the damage caused by the hard landing. The inspection revealed that the airplane had sustained significant structural damage, specifically affecting the lower fuselage area due to the impact with the runway surface.