Incident
On 5 September 2000 at 1828 hrs, a Piper PA-23-250, registration G-BGTG, executed a landing with the landing gear in the fully retracted position at Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man. The aircraft settled onto the runway on its belly, veering slightly left before stopping left of the centreline. The pilot shut down fuel and electrics, and all five occupants—one pilot and four passengers—exited without injury. The front seat passenger used the normal access door, while the rear seat passengers evacuated via the emergency window hatch.
Aircraft and Flight Details
The 1979 Piper PA-23-250, powered by two Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 piston engines, was operated on a private flight from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence with 252 total flight hours, including 47 hours on type. Weather conditions were good. The pilot reported that, during the approach to Runway 26, air traffic control requested a tight circuit to accommodate following commercial traffic, which did not concern him. He completed downwind checks using the checklist, and the initial approach appeared normal. The aircraft crossed the coast on short final at 85 kt with full flap selected, and the Precision Approach Path Indicators showed a stable 3° approach path.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident examination revealed the landing gear selector was in the mid position. The Piper Aztec (PA-23) uses a hydraulic power pack for gear operation, and the selector is normally returned to mid after a successful selection. The stall warning system shares the same horn as the landing gear unsafe warning: the stall warning produces an intermittent tone, while the unsafe gear warning is a continuous tone accompanied by a flashing light in the gear handle. The pilot stated that as he flared and closed the throttles, he heard a sound he believed to be the stall warning. A full functional check of the landing gear extension and retraction system found no faults. Damage was limited to propellers (beyond repair), abrasion to belly skin panels, and one damaged tyre.