No fatalities

11 Nov 2008: Mooney M20E — San Antonio, TX

San Antonio, TX, United States

On 11 Nov 2008, a Mooney M20E was involved in an aviation accident near San Antonio, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot forgot to lower the landing gear because he was focused on the proper glide path during the final approach. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted a cross-country flight due to deteriorating weather and forgot to lower the landing gear during final approach at a non-towered airport. The aircraft slid to a stop on the runway with gear retracted; the solo pilot was uninjured but the fuselage belly sustained substantial structural damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot was returning to land at a non-towered airport after aborting a cross-country flight because of deteriorating weather conditions. During the final approach, the pilot became focused on maintaining the proper glide path and subsequently forgot to extend the landing gear. The airplane touched down with the gear still retracted and slid to a stop on the runway.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported that his attention was directed entirely toward the glide path during the approach, leading him to overlook the landing gear extension. No further details regarding the pilot's pre-landing checklist or procedures were provided.

Damage and Injuries

There were no injuries to the solo pilot on board. However, the aircraft sustained substantial structural damage to the belly of the fuselage. The extent of damage to other components was not specified.

Operational Context

The flight was a cross-country trip that was cut short due to weather. The destination was a non-towered airport, meaning no air traffic control services were available. The pilot performed the landing without assistance. The specific type of aircraft, registration, and date of the incident were not disclosed.

Probable cause

The pilot forgot to lower the landing gear because he was focused on the proper glide path during the final approach.

Contributing factors

PilotNot used/operated