What happened
On September 6, 2002, a Cessna T 210 M Turbo Centurion, registered G-BEYV, was engaged in a training flight to obtain a site authorization for the Peyresourde Altiport. The flight originated from Saint-Girons with a student pilot at the controls and an instructor on board. After performing several circuits at the departure airfield for evaluation, the crew proceeded to the Peyresourde Altiport, located approximately 30 nautical miles away.
During the approach, while flying in a tailwind, the instructor queried the student regarding the extension of the landing gear. The student pilot confirmed that the gear was down. However, during the flare, the instructor heard an alarm which he identified as the stall warning. The aircraft subsequently touched down with the landing gear retracted, causing the plane to slide approximately 150 meters along the runway before coming to a halt. There were no fatalities or injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of cockpit communications and the flight profile during the approach. Investigators noted that the student pilot was communicating in English with the French instructor. The investigation examined the specific approach procedures required at the Peyresman Altiport, which necessitate maintaining engine power until the flare. This specific procedure was found to delay the activation of the landing gear warning alarm, as the alarm is linked to the position of the throttle.
Findings
Several contributing factors led to the accident:
- The student pilot experienced a loss of focus due to the specific environmental conditions of the Altiport, which led to the omission of critical pre-landing checklists.
- The instructor demonstrated an excess of confidence in the student's abilities.
- The operational requirements of the Altiport approach, specifically the need to maintain power until the flare, delayed the audible warning that the gear was not extended.