Incident Overview
A pilot executed a landing with the landing gear retracted after becoming distracted by a flap system anomaly during the approach. The aircraft touched down on the runway with the gear stowed, resulting in damage to the airplane.
Sequence of Events
During the approach to the airport, the pilot encountered a problem with the flaps: they would not lock into the 20-degree extended position. In response, the pilot decided to perform a no-flap landing and consulted the emergency checklist. The checklist instructed the pilot to extend the landing gear. However, the pilot skimmed over that information, mistakenly believing the gear was already down and locked, and instead focused on executing a stabilized approach. The airplane subsequently touched down with the landing gear still retracted.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions with the landing gear system. A ground test of the flap system did not reproduce the failure that occurred during the flight, indicating the flap issue was intermittent or situational.
Probable Cause Determination
The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention due to the flap system anomaly.