What happened
On 31 October 1998, a Cessna 177RG, registration G-BBHI, was conducting a private training flight for the purpose of renewing a night rating. The flight was being operated by a pilot with 672 total flying hours.
Following four successful landings, the pilot attempted a fifth approach. During this final landing, the landing gear remained in the retracted position. The pilot had missed the initial checklist item regarding the gear configuration due to a distraction, which he attributed to nearby firework displays near the airfield. The error was only identified during a second check immediately before the aircraft reached the runway.
Upon realizing the gear was not down, the pilot initiated an immediate go-around. However, the aircraft's descent rate could not be corrected quickly enough to avoid contact with the ground. As a result, the propeller tips struck the runway surface, causing minor damage to the propeller and the underside of the fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of events leading to the missed gear extension and the subsequent impact. The investigation established that the pilot's attention had been diverted from the standard landing checklist by external environmental factors, specifically fireworks being used in the vicinity of Newtonards Airport.