What happened
On 19 May 2023, a Piper PA-28R-200, registration G-EPTR, was conducting a training flight at Perth Airport when the crew failed to extend the landing gear. During the sixth circuit of the flight, both pilots became preoccupied with monitoring another aircraft that was performing a practice engine failure nearby. This distraction occurred during the downwind leg, causing the crew to miss the landing gear selection and the subsequent landing checklist.
As the aircraft transitioned to final approach, the instructor provided guidance to the student pilot, further diverting attention from the gear configuration. The aircraft's approach was tighter than usual and slightly high. Upon touchdown, the tail skid made contact with the runway. The instructor realized the gear was up immediately, but a go-around was not possible. The aircraft came to a halt after approximately 100 meters. There were no injuries to the two occupants, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, flaps, and underside, and the engine suffered shock loading.
The investigation
The investigation examined the cockpit configuration and the crew's actions. It was noted that the aircraft's automatic backup gear extension system had been intentionally disabled via an override lever, a common practice for this operator. This meant the gear could only be extended via the manual selector switch.
Investigators also looked into the aircraft's warning systems. The cockpit features a yellow warning light and an audible 90 Hz horn that trigger when power is reduced under certain conditions. However, the instructor noted that because the required power setting on final approach was relatively high, any such warning might have activated too late in the landing sequence to allow for corrective action. Additionally, the physical layout of the gear lights required the instructor, seated in the right seat, to lean over to view them clearly.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the omission of the landing gear extension and the landing checklist due to crew distraction by nearby circuit traffic and the instructor's focus on student guidance.
- The automatic backup gear extension system was in the override position, preventing the gear from deploying automatically based on airspeed and power.
- The crew did not notice the gear warning light or the audible horn, which may have been due to selective attention during high-workload phases or a potential malfunction of the warning systems.
- The cockpit design necessitated physical movement by the instructor to monitor gear position lights, creating an additional barrier to error detection.