Description
On 22 March 2002, at approximately 11:30 local time, a Mooney M-20K-231 (registration EC-FBY) departed Cuatro Vientos airport at 10:10 for a local flight to check various aircraft systems. The aircraft was recently acquired and had not been fully tested. During the flight, the pilot noticed low oil pressure, with the needle near the yellow arc. Deciding to land as a precaution, the pilot chose La Iglesuela aerodrome and intended to land on runway 05. However, the landing gear was not extended, and the aircraft touched down with the gear retracted. It skidded approximately 280 meters along the runway before veering off the right side, coming to rest about 3 meters from the runway edge after traveling less than 10 meters on the grass. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage from the nose gear door to the main wing spar area, the propeller (both tips bent rearward), and possibly the engine. Both occupants, the pilot and one passenger, were uninjured.
Investigation
The investigation revealed that the pilot had never flown this particular aircraft before. During the preflight inspection, he noticed an oil stain on the ground but checked the oil level and found it within limits. After the accident, the oil level was essentially unchanged. The landing gear warning system included a green "Gear Down" light, a red "Gear Unsafe" light, an aural warning activated when the gear was not locked down and the throttle was reduced, and a mechanical position indicator behind the fuel selector. During the takeoff, the pilot reported needing three attempts to retract the gear. He perceived the gear malfunction by the aircraft's attitude, not by the panel indications. After the accident, when the aircraft was lifted and electrical power connected, the aural warning sounded. The normal electrical gear extension was checked and functioned properly. The emergency extension system was not tested as it had not been used during the accident.
Conclusions
The accident was probably caused by the landing gear actuation mechanism not operating. Possibly, the pilot's attention being more focused on monitoring the oil pressure may have led to forgetting to extend the landing gear.