What happened
On August 9, 2001, at 18:52 local time, a Cessna T210N, registration OB-1283, was performing a landing at Nazca Aerodrome in the Ica province. The aircraft, operated by Aero Paracas under RAP 135 regulations, was completing a flight pattern within the Nazca circuit and was preparing to land on runway 25.
As the aircraft made contact with the runway, approximately 220 meters from the runway threshold, the nose and main landing gears retracted. This caused the aircraft to slide along the runway for approximately 240 meters from the point of touchdown until it came to a complete stop. The incident resulted in no fatalities or injuries among the pilot and the 5 passengers on board. The aircraft sustained damage to the engine, the propeller blades, the nose gear door, and the lower fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical integrity of the landing gear system and the pilot's actions during the approach phase. Technical examinations were conducted on the landing gear components at the TMA El Peregrino. Additionally, investigators interviewed the pilot regarding the sequence of events leading to the gear retraction.
Findings
- The investigation determined that the landing gear system showed no mechanical anomalies or defects.
- The primary cause of the incident was pilot error, as the pilot admitted to forgetting to extend the landing gear mechanism to the down position during the landing preparation phase.