What happened
On March 12, 2009, a Socata TB-20, registration CS-DEO, operated by the Academia Aeronáutica de Évora, was conducting a flight training mission. The flight departed from Évora with a student pilot on board, intending to perform a touch-and-go maneuver at Santarém Aerodrome before returning to Évora.
Upon arrival at Santarém at approximately 16:30 UTC, the pilot transitioned directly into the final approach for runway 05. During the landing sequence, the aircraft touched down beyond the midpoint of the runway with its landing gear retracted. As the aircraft descended, the propeller blades made repeated contact with the asphalt, creating a series of marks that eventually caused the engine to stall. The fuselage then made contact with the ground.
The aircraft slid along the runway centerline for more than 100 meters. During this slide, the right main gear tire burst due to friction. The aircraft then veered to the right, exiting the paved surface and entering the shoulder. The nose gear acted as a pivot point in the sand, causing the aircraft to rotate clockwise and come to a stop at an angle of approximately 200 degrees relative to its original heading.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's configuration and the pilot's actions. A cockpit inspection revealed that the landing gear selector was in the retracted position and the indicator lights were extinguished. The flaps were set to the first position.
Technical testing of the aircraft's systems following the incident confirmed that the landing gear mechanism, including the extension and retraction of all legs and the associated visual and audible warnings, was functioning normally. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flight experience and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, which were favorable for VFR operations.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the omission of the landing gear extension procedure.
- The pilot's approach was conducted without a standard circuit, which altered the usual landing routine and likely led to the omission of critical steps.
- The pilot failed to use the recommended checklists to confirm the aircraft's configuration.
- The approach was performed at an excessive speed and with power applied, which prevented the pilot from identifying the gear configuration in time to execute a go-around.
- There were no injuries to the single occupant, and the aircraft sustained only light damage, primarily to the propeller blades and the lower fuselage.