Incident Overview
On Tuesday, 3 February 2015, at 16:04 local time, a Piper PA28R-200 aircraft, registration EC-HUU, operated by Aerotec Escuela de Pilotos, landed with its landing gear retracted at Tenerife Norte Airport (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain). The aircraft was on a local instructional flight for an instructor course, with a student pilot in the right seat and an instructor in the left seat. Both occupants were uninjured. The aircraft sustained damage to the underside of the fuselage.
Flight Details
The flight departed from Tenerife Norte at 15:29 local time via runway 30, conducting a clockwise circuit of the control zone (CTR) passing through reporting points. During the last 10 minutes of flight, meteorological conditions worsened, creating a sense of urgency for the crew to return to the airport and diverting their attention outside the cockpit. Additionally, a change in the usual cockpit procedures affected the execution of checklists.
Investigation Findings
The investigation ruled out any malfunction of the landing gear system. It determined that the actuation of the landing gear lever occurred after the aircraft had already touched down on the runway. The combination of deteriorating weather, time pressure, and altered cockpit procedures led to the omission of the landing gear extension before landing.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA28R-200 is a single-engine, retractable-gear aircraft. The accident airplane was owned and operated by Aerotec Escuela de Pilotos, a flight school based at Tenerife Norte.
Safety Recommendation
The investigation report includes one safety recommendation addressed to the operator, Aerotec Escuela de Pilotos, regarding operational procedures.