No fatalities

18 Mar 2012: MOONEY M20M — Donald Trizzino — Clearwater, FL

Clearwater, FL, United States

On 18 Mar 2012, a MOONEY M20M operated by Donald Trizzino was involved in an aviation accident near Clearwater, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear due to pre-occupation with locating another aircraft. 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 failed to extend the landing gear during traffic pattern entry, resulting in a propeller strike and substantial fuselage damage. No mechanical issues were reported.

Accident Overview

According to the pilot, while entering the traffic pattern for landing, he observed two other aircraft in the circuit. He announced his position on the downwind leg and heard another pilot announce the same location. The accident pilot visually acquired the other airplane, whose pilot stated he would follow the accident aircraft to the runway.

Sequence of Events

The pilot reported that during the downwind leg, he became preoccupied with locating the other aircraft and subsequently forgot to lower the landing gear. On touchdown, the propeller struck the runway surface. The airplane skidded to a stop, causing substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage.

Damage and Mechanical Status

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear due to pre-occupation with locating another aircraft.

Contributing factors

PilotNot used/operated