What happened
On February 12, 2018, at 16:40 UTC, a Beechcraft 76 Duchess, registration CS-DCS, operated by Escola de Aviação Aerocondor S.A., experienced an abnormal runway contact at Ponte de Sor Airfield in Portugal. The aircraft was engaged in flight training operations at the time of the occurrence.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's landing gear system, maintenance records, and the flight crew's adherence to standard operating procedures. The investigation focused on the effectiveness of the landing gear warning horn and the crew's cockpit management during the approach phase. The authorities also reviewed the consistency between the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), the Standard Operating Procedures (S/OPs), and the aircraft checklists.
Findings
- The investigation identified that gear up landings are a recurring issue in flight training, often resulting from pilot distraction or the interruption of established flight patterns.
- Modern noise-cancelling headsets used by crews can significantly reduce the audibility of the landing gear warning horn.
- There was a lack of uniformity in how landing gear configuration information was presented across different operational documents.
- The investigation noted that the crew's routine of reporting "gear down and locked" to air traffic control, even when not prompted, did not prevent the occurrence.