What happened
On May 27, 2012, at 18:10 local time, a Centrair 101 glider, registration F-CFQG, was performing a local flight following a winch takeoff from the unpaved runway 07 at the Arcach/La Teste de Buch aerodrome. After the automatic release of the winch cable, the pilot attempted to locate thermal lift but was unsuccessful. Deciding to terminate the flight, the pilot rejoined the landing pattern. During the approach, the aircraft landed with its landing gear retracted, causing slight damage to the glider.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical operation of the landing gear and the pilot's flight procedures. The landing gear system on this aircraft type is entirely mechanical, operated by a handle located on the left side of the cockpit. Moving the handle forward to a green marker extends the gear, while moving it backward retracts it. Post-incident inspections revealed no mechanical malfunctions in the landing gear control sequence.
The pilot, who had 189 total flight hours and 90 hours on this specific type, stated that he typically keeps the gear extended during winch launches until thermal lift is found, ensuring the gear is ready in case of a sudden flight interruption. During the downwind leg of the circuit, the pilot believed he had inadvertently moved the handle to the retracted position instead of the extended position. He further noted that he failed to perform a verbal check of the gear status and likely did not visually confirm the handle's position.
Findings
- The pilot failed to complete the necessary post-takeoff actions and verification procedures.
- The pilot did not verify the landing gear position prior to landing following the decision to interrupt the flight.
- The pilot's habit of not retracting the gear until finding lift was not a factor in the mechanical failure, but the lack of a verbal and visual confirmation led to the error.