Accident Summary
A Rockwell AS-500S (Aero Commander) airplane operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was involved in a gear-up landing at Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) in North Dakota. The twin-engine aircraft was conducting snow survey flights. The accident occurred during a repositioning flight from Fargo, North Dakota, back to Grand Forks. The airplane landed on runway 17R with the landing gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. Following the landing, the engines were shut down and the aircraft was evacuated. No mechanical malfunctions were identified by the operator.
Flight Details
The flight originated at Grand Forks International Airport, where the airplane departed for snow survey missions. It made a refueling stop at Fargo International Airport before departing on the repositioning leg to return to Grand Forks. The accident occurred on the return flight.
Approach and Landing Conditions
Air traffic control provided clearance for the runway 17R localizer backcourse approach to GFK. The published approach minimums specified a minimum descent altitude of 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and visibility of 1 mile. At the time of the accident, meteorological conditions included a ceiling of 800 feet (approximately 1,650 feet msl) and visibility of 1 mile.
Post-Accident Observations
The operator noted that the airplane experienced no mechanical malfunctions. The landing gear was in the retracted position when the aircraft contacted the runway. The resulting damage was categorized as substantial.