What happened
On December 9, 2016, at approximately 18:30 UTC, a Beechcraft 58, registration PP-PLE, was performing a private passenger transport flight between two farm airstrips in Itaituba, Pará. The flight departed from Aeródromo da Fazenda Rosa de Maio (SIYR) and was bound for Aeródromo da Fazenda Água Azul (SNYR).
During the approach and landing at SNYR, the aircraft touched down on the gravel runway with its landing gear retracted. The lower fuselage made contact with the runway surface, causing the aircraft to slide before coming to a stop in the vegetation on the right side of the runway. Despite the substantial damage to the aircraft, the pilot and the three passengers escaped the occurrence without injury.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the pilot's procedures and the aircraft's configuration. The pilot, who had approximately 500 flight hours in the type, had developed an informal habit of extending the landing gear before the flaps. On the day of the accident, the pilot visually confirmed the flaps were extended and incorrectly assumed the landing gear was also down and locked.
The investigation found that the pilot did not use the aircraft's checklist during the approach. Furthermore, while the aircraft was equipped with a landing gear warning horn, the alarm did not activate. This was because the aircraft was operating at a high power setting—above 17 inches of manifold pressure—to maintain flight stability, as the aircraft was near its maximum landing weight. The investigation determined that the combination of the high power setting and the lack of checklist usage prevented the pilot from noticing the gear was retracted.
Findings
- The pilot failed to command the landing gear to the down and locked position.
- The pilot did not utilize the aircraft's checklist during the landing phase.
- The landing gear warning horn did not sound because the engine power was maintained above 17 inches of manifold pressure.
- The aircraft was operating near its maximum landing weight, necessitating higher power settings.
- The pilot's reliance on visual cues from the flaps rather than verifying the gear position contributed to a loss of situational awareness.