Overview
On June 29, 2015, at about 1944 Hawaiian standard time, a Short Bros SD3-60, registration N221LM, operated by Trans Executive Airlines of Hawaii Inc., sustained substantial damage during a gear-up landing at Kalaeloa Airport [John Rogers Field] (JRK) in Kapolei, Hawaii. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a scheduled flight check for the first officer, originating from Honolulu International Airport at about 1850. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.
Flight and Crew Information
The captain held an airline transport pilot certificate and had completed a flight review on November 11, 2014. He had logged 20,230 hours of total flight time, including 6,011 hours in the accident make and model. The first officer, a commercial pilot, completed his flight review on May 16, 2015, and reported 272 hours total flight time, with 29 hours in the accident make and model.
Accident Sequence
The crew reported that they had flown several approaches and landings at JRK prior to the accident. During the final approach and landing—the last before their intended departure from JRK—the crew believed they had completed the Before Landing checklist, which included extending the landing gear. However, they landed with the landing gear inadvertently retracted.
During the landing roll, a few hundred feet after touchdown, as the airplane's nose was lowered, the forward bottom section of the fuselage contacted the runway surface. The SD3-60 is equipped with a tricycle landing gear system featuring a fully retractable nose gear and a partially retractable main gear. The crew safely egressed after the airplane came to a stop. They reported no major distractions during the approach and stated they were not rushed. During the last traffic pattern, the captain had communicated with the Air Traffic Control Tower on downwind to receive their clearance back to the originating airport.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the underside of the fuselage near the nose wheel. Further assessment by the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the damage was structural. An operational check of the landing gear system found no anomalies.
Landing Gear Warning System
According to the flight crew, the warning horn that alerts when the landing gear is not extended did not activate during the final approach because they were flying a partial flap approach. Per the airplane's technical information, during a partial flap approach, the landing gear warning horn is designed to activate only when either power lever is pulled back to the flight idle position. The power required to maintain airspeed on a partial flap approach can exceed flight idle settings, preventing the horn from sounding.