What happened
On March 9, 1974, a Cessna F 177 RG, registration HB-CDK, was conducting a private sightseeing flight starting from Bad Ragaz. After performing two training circuits, the pilot attempted to return to the airfield. Due to difficulty in determining wind direction, the pilot initially planned to land on runway 30. However, during the final approach, the pilot noted a tailwind tendency associated with Föhn conditions and decided to overshoot the runway to attempt a landing on runway 12 instead.
During the approach to runway 12, the aircraft encountered heavy turbulence over the Sarganser Ebene. Witnesses near the hangar noticed that the landing gear had not been extended and attempted to signal the pilot using hand gestures, but these signals went unnoticed. Just before reaching the runway threshold, the pilot observed the red landing gear warning light, realizing the gear remained retracted. To avoid further complications, the pilot executed a belly landing on the grass approximately 180 meters past the start of runway 12. The aircraft slid roughly 116 meters before coming to a stop. The accident resulted in one fatality and one injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's credentials, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot held a valid private pilot license with appropriate ratings for the aircraft's features, including retractable landing gear and a variable-pitch propeller. No relevant health issues were identified in the pilot. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance and operational history, noting no prior accidents or incidents involving this aircraft in the preceding five years.
Findings
- The aircraft was properly registered and airworthy.
- The landing gear warning horn was non-functional, meaning the pilot received no audible alert regarding the gear position.
- Severe turbulence and Föhn winds were present during the flight.
- The pilot's decision-making was compromised by the pressure of managing a runway change and navigating heavy turbulence.
- The pilot failed to extend the landing gear during the transition between approach paths.
Safety action
- The investigation determined that the pilot's failure to initiate a go-around after noticing the gear warning light was a critical error.