What happened
On 20 May 2020, a Rockwell Commander 114, registration G-BFXS, was performing a private flight at Little Snoring Airfield in Norfolk. The pilot intended to complete two landings at the airfield to satisfy currency requirements before a subsequent flight with passengers. After successfully completing the first circuit, the pilot was flying the downwind leg of a second circuit when requested by another aircraft to extend the pattern to facilitate their departure.
During the subsequent approach, the pilot performed the standard landing checks. However, upon touchdown, the propeller and the underside of the fuselage made contact with the runway. The pilot subsequently identified that the landing gear had not been deployed. The pilot escaped the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had not flown for several months prior to the event. The pilot noted that the distraction of altering the circuit pattern, combined with a lack of recent flying experience, likely contributed to the oversight. During the final approach, the pilot observed a green light on the instrument panel and mistakenly believed it was one of the three green lights indicating the landing gear was locked. It was determined that this was actually the green light indicating the navigation source for the Horizontal Situation Indicator.
Furthermore, investigators found that the landing gear warning horn failed to alert the pilot to the gear's position. This occurred because the pilot had selected only partial flaps in preparation for a touch-and-go maneuver. The warning system is designed to trigger only when the gear is up and the flaps are extended beyond 25 degrees, or when the throttle is retarded below a specific manifold pressure threshold.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained abrasions to the left wing and fuselage underside, along with propeller damage.
- The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear was the primary cause of the impact.
- The pilot's recent lack of flying currency and the distraction of an altered flight pattern contributed to the error.
- A visual error occurred when the pilot mistook a GPS indicator light for a landing gear green light.
- The landing gear warning horn remained silent because the flap setting and throttle position did not meet the criteria required to activate the alarm.