What happened
On April 17, 2014, at 20:30 UTC, a Cessna 402B, registration PT-JRS, was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) flight from Cascavel, Paraná, to Patrocínio, Minas Gerais. The aircraft was carrying two crew members and two passengers.
During the approach to runway 23 at the Patrocínio Aerodrome, the crew performed the landing with the landing gear in the retracted position. The impact caused substantial damage to the propellers, engines, lower fuselage, flaps, and landing gear doors. Despite the severity of the impact, all four occupants were uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the cockpit procedures and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation established that the pilot instructed the co-pilot to lower the landing gear during the transition from the base leg to the final approach, but neither crew member verified that the gear had actually extended and locked. Furthermore, the crew did not utilize the aircraft's checklist during the approach.
Technical inspections conducted on the aircraft's landing gear system, supported by a maintenance workshop, revealed no mechanical malfunctions. Tests confirmed that the landing gear cycled normally and that the audible warning alarms—designed to trigger when power is reduced below 13 inches or when flaps are extended beyond 15 degrees while the gear is up—were fully operational. The crew reported that they did not hear these alarms during the flight.
Findings
- Lack of cockpit coordination between the pilot and co-pilot.
- Failure to use the aircraft checklist during the approach phase.
- Failure of the crew to monitor the landing gear warning lights.
- Failure of the crew to perceive the audible landing gear warning alarms.