What happened
On 4 August 2015, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA-42 was conducting an IFR training flight at Brussels South Charleroi Airport (EBCI). The flight, which included an instructor and a student, had previously traveled to EBKT before returning to EBCI to perform a specific training maneuver involving a go-around and a simulated engine failure.
During the approach to runway 25, the crew executed a go-around, simulating a failure of the right engine. Following the climb to 1500ft, the aircraft joined the circuit. While flying the downwind leg, the crew was instructed to extend the flaps. As the aircraft turned onto the base leg, the instructor prompted the student to lower the landing gear. However, as the aircraft transitioned to final approach and the throttles were retarded, the landing gear warning horn activated, signaling that the gear remained retracted. Despite this warning, the instructor elected to proceed with the landing.
The aircraft subsequently made contact with the runway on its belly. The landing was described as smooth, with the aircraft skidding on the engine exhausts, tail pad, and footstep. The aircraft came to a halt approximately 300 to 400 meters from the point of initial contact. There were no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of F-GUPM to assess the extent of the damage. The inspection revealed significant damage to the wooden propeller blades on both engines, which had fractured during the landing. The investigation also noted wear on the engine exhaust pipes and heat-related deformation on the lower engine cowlings. While the landing gear doors showed no signs of damage, the left footstep was found to have been separated from the aircraft and left on the runway. The investigation also reviewed the flight history, noting the crew's experience levels and the specific training objectives being pursued at the time of the incident.