What happened
On 16 August 2005, a Beech Baron 58, registration ZS-FBT, was conducting a domestic charter flight from Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal to Jackleberry Game Lodge. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and four passengers when it approached the unmanned aerodrome, located approximately 11nm southeast of Air Force Base Hoedspruit.
Upon arrival, the pilot observed significant turbulence and strong winds, measuring approximately 150 degrees at 20 knots. After electing to land on Runway 23, the pilot entered a right downwind pattern and performed several vital actions, including selecting the landing gear to the down position. However, during the approach, an audio alert sounded in the cockpit. The pilot mistakenly identified this sound as a stall warning rather than a landing gear unsafe warning, as he believed the gear had already been deployed.
Due to the challenging weather conditions and the need to manage the aircraft in heavy turbulence, the pilot focused on the approach and did not visually verify the gear status. The aircraft touched down on the runway with the landing gear retracted. The right-hand aft step made initial contact with the surface, followed by the left propeller and then the right propeller. The aircraft then skidded approximately 213m on its belly before coming to a stop on the right side of the runway. There were no injuries to the five occupants.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the sequence of cockpit actions and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The investigation noted that the pilot had performed the gear selection during the downwind leg but failed to perform a final visual check of the cockpit indicators. The investigation also considered the impact of the 20-knot winds and turbulence on the pilot's concentration. Witnesses on the ground, including game rangers, observed the descent but could not confirm the gear deployment, noting that the aircraft's path was briefly obscured by the sloping runway threshold.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the pilot neglected to verify that the undercarriage was down and locked before touchdown.
- The pilot misidentified an audible landing gear warning as a stall warning.
- High levels of turbulence and strong crosswinds contributed to the pilot's preoccupation with flight controls during the final approach.
- The pilot did not perform a final visual inspection of the landing gear indicators in the cockpit prior to landing.