Accident Overview
On 10 September 2019 at 09:47 UTC, a Pipistrel Panthera, registration S5-MTR, experienced an accident during landing at Portorož Airport (LJPZ) in Slovenia. The aircraft was manufactured by SVP AVIO d.o.o. and designed by Pipistrel Vertical Solutions d.o.o. The flight was a private VFR flight in visual meteorological conditions (VMC).
Sequence of Events
The pilot conducted a preflight inspection and contacted the Portorož tower for a private panoramic flight within the airport zone. At 09:28, the aircraft departed from runway 33 with two passengers. Approximately 14 minutes after takeoff, the pilot decided to return and requested landing clearance. The controller cleared the aircraft to land on runway 33, providing wind information. At 09:47, the aircraft touched down without the landing gear extended. The lower fuselage made first contact with the asphalt, and the aircraft slid for about 300 meters before stopping near taxiway B. The pilot then performed emergency procedures, secured the aircraft, and evacuated himself and the passengers. No injuries were reported.
Investigation Findings
The investigation team inspected the aircraft on 11 September 2019. Examination of the sealed cabin revealed the landing gear lever in the UP position, and the gear was confirmed retracted. A functional test of the landing gear system, including normal and emergency extension, found no faults or deviations. The extension and retraction times were within 20 seconds, and the warning lights operated correctly. The investigation concluded that the landing gear system was functioning properly.
Probable Cause
The direct cause of the accident was that the pilot did not lower the landing gear before landing. An indirect cause was that the pilot used an incorrect procedure for verifying landing gear extension.