What happened
On June 24, 2013, a Beechcraft 58, registration PP-PLE, was performing a private transport flight from Fernandópolis, São Paulo, to Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul. The aircraft was carrying one crew member and three passengers. During the approach and landing phase at Três Lagoas Aerodrome, the pilot performed a landing with the landing gear in the retracted position. Upon impact, the aircraft slid approximately 200 meters along the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the propellers, engines, wings, and fuselage. All four occupants of the aircraft were uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on why the landing gear was not extended prior to touchdown. It was established that the pilot had manually pulled the circuit breaker for the throttle warning system (THROT WARN). This system is designed to provide an audible alert to the pilot if the throttles are retarded while the landing gear remains retracted. The crew reported that the warning system had been activating prematurely during flight when the throttles were in positions other than the full-retard position, leading to the decision to disable it. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was properly licensed and experienced, and the aircraft was airworthy and within weight and balance limits at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The pilot failed to extend the landing gear prior to landing.
- The audible warning system intended to alert the pilot of the gear's status was inoperative because the pilot had pulled the throttle warning circuit breaker.
- The pilot's oversight was the primary contributing factor.