What happened
On 6 May 2008, a Piper PA-28R-200-0 Cherokee Arrow II, registration G-AZSF, was conducting a post-training skills test at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield in Warwickshire. The flight was being operated by a candidate pilot under the supervision of an examiner to facilitate the issuance of a Certificate of Competence.
After completing the majority of the assessment tasks, the aircraft returned to the airfield to perform remaining circuit elements. During the first circuit, a communication error occurred regarding the final pre-landing checks. The examiner intended to remind the candidate to verbally confirm the 'reds, blues and three greens' check—a procedure used to ensure the engine mixture, propeller controls, and landing gear are correctly set. However, the candidate interpreted the examiner's call as a confirmation that the checks had already been performed.
During a subsequent bad weather circuit, which required flying at a lower altitude and closer to the airfield, the aircraft landed with the landing gear in the retracted position. The aircraft slid to a stop on the runway. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the breakdown in cockpit communication and the failure to verify the landing gear position. Investigators examined the sequence of events during the high-workload environment of the bad weather circuit. It was established that the examiner had been monitoring the candidate's approach closely but did not notice the gear remained up. The investigation also looked into the psychological factors, specifically how the candidate's experience in training environments might have influenced their response to the examiner's verbal cues.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller due to a shock-load, as well as damage to the underside of the fuselage and the flaps.
- A misunderstanding between the pilot and the examiner regarding the status of pre-landing checks led to the gear not being extended.
- The examiner's call was intended as a reminder but was misperceived by the candidate as a confirmation of completed tasks.
- The high-workload nature of the bad weather circuit contributed to the oversight.
- The candidate's tendency to follow instructor directions, a common trait in training, likely reinforced the incorrect assumption that the checks were finished.