Accident Overview
On Wednesday, August 19, 2015, a privately owned Piper PA-28R-201, registered JA4193, sustained damage after making a belly landing at Sapporo Airfield. The accident occurred at around 15:38 Japan Standard Time during a power-off accuracy approach as part of a practical examination for commercial pilot competence certification. The aircraft had taken off from Sapporo Airfield at 12:33 JST. On board were the pilot-in-command (the examinee), an examiner in the right front seat, and an instructor in the right rear seat. No one was injured, and there was no fire.
Flight History
The flight departed with a VFR flight plan routing via Otaru, Yakumo, Onuma, Hakodate Airport, Shikabe, Muroran, Rankoshi, and Yoichi, with an estimated time of 2 hours and 50 minutes. The flight included a touch-and-go at Hakodate Airport. After returning toward Sapporo, the aircraft held at Naebo as instructed by Sapporo Aerodrome Control. The examinee requested and received clearance for touch-and-goes. During the approach, the examiner instructed a go-around as an examination subject. Shortly before the power-off accuracy approach, while responding to a query from the tower, the examiner pointed out an error in the examinee's response. The examinee became preoccupied with speed and altitude control due to windy conditions and did not extend the landing gear. The aircraft touched down with the gear retracted, resulting in a belly landing.
Probable Causes
The Japan Transport Safety Board determined that the aircraft made a belly landing without extending the landing gear during the power-off accuracy approach. It is probable that the examinee forgot to extend the landing gear and was not aware of this. Contributing factors include that the examinee may have been confused by the examiner's pointing out an error at the moment gear extension was needed, and that the examinee concentrated on speed and altitude management, leaving no capacity to complete the checklist. Additionally, the examiner and instructor on board did not notice that the landing gear was not extended.