On April 14, 1967, a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor (registration PZ-TAT) operated by Surinam Airways - Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij (SLM) was involved in an aviation accident near Paramaribo-Zorg en Hoop, Suriname during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew failed to deploy the landing gear before touching down on the runway. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft sustained heavy damage following a landing with its landing gear retracted at Paramaribo-Zorg en Hoop Airport.
What happened
During an approach to Paramaribo-Zorg en Hoop Airport, the flight crew performed a landing while the landing gear remained in the retracted position. The resulting wheels-up impact caused significant structural damage to the aircraft, rendering it a total loss.
Despite the severity of the impact, there were no injuries reported among the two occupants on board. The incident resulted in the aircraft being declared damaged beyond repair.
Findings
The landing was completed with the gear up.
The primary cause of the damage was the failure to extend the landing gear prior to touchdown.
Probable cause
The crew failed to deploy the landing gear before touching down on the runway.