What happened
On January 15, 2016, a Piper PA-2-28R-200, registration PT-KFY, was conducting a passenger transport flight from Tucuruí to Baião, Brazil. Upon arriving at the destination, the pilot encountered unfavorable weather conditions due to rain, prompting a diversion to the planned alternate airport in Belém. During the diversion, the pilot identified an uncertified, non-homologated runway in Cametá and decided to land there to wait for improved weather.
During the approach, the aircraft's landing gear remained retracted. The propeller blades made initial contact with the ground, followed by the belly of the fuselage, which slid approximately 180 meters along the runway before the aircraft veered right and came to a stop off the paved surface. The aircraft sustained light damage, but all three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—remained uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making and the operational procedures used during the landing. Investigators found that the pilot had significantly more experience flying fixed-gear aircraft, such as the Cirrus SR22, compared to only 40 hours in the retractable-gear PA-28R-200. To compensate for this, the pilot had placed adhesive labels in the cockpit with the word "GEAR" to serve as mnemonic aids.
The investigation established that the pilot did not use a checklist during the flight. Furthermore, the use of the Cametá airstrip was a violation of the Brazilian Aeronautical Code, as the site was neither registered nor homologated. The investigation also noted that the approach path was complicated by large trees and elevations near the runway threshold, which likely increased the pilot's workload and anxiety.
Findings
- The pilot failed to extend the landing gear due to an oversight.
- The pilot did not utilize the required checklist during the flight.
- The decision to land on an unauthorized, uncertified runway presented unmanaged risks.
- High levels of pilot anxiety, driven by deteriorating weather, likely impaired task management.
- The pilot's lack of familiarity with retractable gear systems contributed to the error.