What happened
On January 26, 2010, a Beechcraft F33A, registration PR-SAM, was operating a private flight from Goiânia, GO, to Palmas, TO. The flight, which included the pilot and three passengers, encountered several weather-related deviations during the route, extending the flight duration by approximately 30 minutes.
Upon arrival at Palmas Airport, the pilot was instructed by air traffic control to enter the traffic pattern and report on the right-hand base leg for runway 32, specifically being reminded to ensure the landing gear was extended and checked. The pilot requested the right-hand base leg and provided an estimated time of four minutes until landing. The tower controller further instructed the pilot to report on the final approach with the landing gear checked. The pilot acknowledged the landing clearance and the wind information, stating they were turning from the base leg to the final approach.
However, the aircraft touched down with the landing gear still retracted. The impact caused the aircraft to slide approximately 150 meters along the runway before coming to a stop in the center of the pavement. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the propeller and the engine, though all four occupants escaped without injury.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the pilot's failure to follow standard landing procedures and air traffic control instructions. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was qualified and experienced for the aircraft type, and that the aircraft was airworthy and within weight and balance limits.
Investigators examined the sequence of the traffic pattern entry, noting that the pilot entered the pattern directly on the right-hand base leg rather than following a standard procedure. The investigation also reviewed the communications between the pilot and the tower, noting that while the controller requested the pilot to report the gear status, the pilot did not confirm the gear was down and locked, nor did the controller specifically prompt for the gear position during the final approach transition.
Findings
- The pilot failed to complete all necessary pre-landing checklists.
- The pilot did not extend the landing gear during the landing preparations.
- The pilot failed to report the landing gear status to the tower as instructed, which was a deviation from standard air traffic rules.
- The non-standard entry into the traffic pattern (entering directly on the base leg) likely disrupted the pilot's established sequence of landing preparations, contributing to the omission of the gear extension.