Overview
On 28 December 2018 at 2347 hours UTC, a Cessna 404 (registration N97AQ) was involved in a gear-up landing during a night repositioning flight at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport in the British Virgin Islands. The aircraft sustained damage to its propellers, wings, and fuselage. The sole occupant, the pilot, was not injured.
Flight Details
The flight was conducted under night visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The pilot held a Commercial Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 21,318 total flight hours, of which 5,095 hours were on type. His recent flying experience included 120 hours in the last 90 days and 50 hours in the last 28 days. The weather conditions included gusty winds.
Accident Sequence
The pilot received landing clearance and configured the aircraft for landing. He inquired twice about the wind conditions before deciding to leave the flaps at 10 degrees. As the aircraft flared and contacted the runway, the pilot realized that he had not extended the landing gear. The aircraft came to rest on the runway. The pilot was uninjured.
Pilot's Report
The pilot attributed the accident to his failure to complete the pre-landing checklist and confirm that the landing gear was down and locked. He considered that a contributory factor was allowing himself to become distracted while flying at night in turbulent and gusty wind conditions.
Damage
The accident resulted in damage to the propellers, wings, and fuselage of the aircraft.