What happened
On March 21, 2000, a Beechcraft F-33A, registration EC-COQ, was conducting a flight examination for a student pilot trainee at Salamanca Airport. The flight, which included an examiner, proceeded normally until the crew requested to perform a simulated engine-out traffic pattern maneuver. After receiving clearance from the tower, the aircraft entered a left-hand turn—opposite to the standard right-hand pattern for runway 21—to maintain separation from other traffic.
As the aircraft transitioned from the high point to the low point of the maneuver, the student pilot failed to extend the landing gear. During the final approach, the aircraft's trajectory drifted approximately 45 degrees off the runway centerline. To correct this deviation, the pilot was forced to increase engine power. The landing gear warning alarm did not sound until the pilot retarded the throttle for the landing, at which point there was insufficient time to react. The aircraft subsequently touched down with the gear retracted, causing significant damage to the propeller, flaps, and the lower fuselage skin. Both occupants were uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of maneuvers and the crew's performance during the flight examination. The investigators examined the impact of the non-standard traffic pattern instructions provided by the air traffic controller and the subsequent flight path deviation. The analysis also looked into why the landing gear warning system did not alert the crew earlier and the role of the examiner's decision-making during the approach.
Findings
- The student pilot's lack of experience and the inherent stress of a flight examination contributed to the error.
- The requirement to perform a non-standard left-hand turn increased the pilot's workload and nervousness, leading to the omission of the landing checklist.
- The examiner noticed the gear was retracted but chose not to intervene immediately, waiting to see if the student would correct the error.
- The use of increased engine power to correct the runway deviation suppressed the landing gear warning horn, preventing the crew from noticing the gear was up until the final moments of the landing.
- Wind conditions contributed to the aircraft's deviation from the runway centerline.