What happened
On May 13, 2014, a PA-31T aircraft, registration PT-LNG, was performing a routine passenger transport flight from São Luís to Santa Inês, Brazil. The flight carried a pilot and five passengers. During the approach and landing phase at João Silva Aerodrome (SJBY), the landing gear was not extended.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft struck the runway with the gear retracted, causing the propellers to collide with the ground. The aircraft slid approximately 400 meters along the runway before coming to a stop at a 45-degree angle to the runway centerline. Despite the impact, all six occupants (the pilot and five passengers) were uninjured, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propellers and light damage to the fuselage belly.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation confirmed that the landing gear control system, including both visual and audible warning devices, was fully operational. Post-incident testing showed that the gear could be deployed correctly and that the alarms functioned as designed.
The investigation revealed that the pilot had not performed a complete checklist during the landing configuration phase and specifically failed to verify the landing gear position. Furthermore, the pilot demonstrated a lack of technical knowledge regarding the aircraft's specific warning systems, as he was unaware that the audible alarm would trigger when power was reduced while the gear was not locked down.
Additionally, investigators noted that the aircraft's maintenance logs (Part I) had not been updated since December 2011, which raised concerns regarding the operator's oversight of the aircraft's technical airworthiness status.
Findings
- Pilot error: The pilot failed to command the landing gear to the down position and did not complete the required checklists during the base and final approach.
- Inadequate training: The pilot lacked specific technical knowledge regarding the aircraft's cockpit warning systems, specifically the meaning of the audible alarm triggered during power reduction.
- Maintenance oversight: There was a lack of effective supervision regarding the updating of maintenance logbooks.