What happened
On 17 November 2022, a Diamond DA42-NG, registration SP-FYE, was conducting multi-engine training maneuvers at EPDE aerodrome. The flight crew was performing a series of traffic patterns as part of an instructional syllabus. After successfully completing several patterns involving single-engine approaches with flaps, the crew transitioned to an exercise simulating an engine failure with the right engine at zero power and flaps retracted.
During the downwind leg of the second pattern, the student pilot reduced power to the right engine, which triggered a landing gear warning signal. Because the audible alert was interfering with cockpit communications, the instructor directed the student to mute the warning using the gear warning mute button. As the aircraft approached runway 1/2, the instructor did not verify that the landing gear had been extended and locked. Consequently, the aircraft touched down on the runway with the landing gear in the up position. The instructor noted unusual aircraft behavior just before touchdown and heard the sound of the aircraft scrubbing the runway surface. Following the impact, the instructor attempted to move the gear lever to the down position, but the gear remained retracted. The crew was able to vacate the runway and exit the aircraft safely.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the crew's actions during the transition from the downwind leg to the final approach. The inquiry examined the execution of the flight checklists and the crew's response to the landing gear warning signal. The investigation established that the before-landing checklist was not performed, which led to the oversight regarding the gear configuration.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure to complete the before-landing checklist.
- The crew failed to verify that the landing gear was properly extended and locked prior to approach.
- The decision to mute the landing gear warning system contributed to the oversight.
- There was an inappropriate distribution of crew attention during the flight maneuvers.