On January 12, 1988, a Swearingen SA226AT Merlin IV (registration C-GJWW) operated by Air Toronto was involved in an aviation accident near Hamilton, Canada during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the landing gear remaining retracted during the approach is currently unknown. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
An aircraft experienced a landing with its landing gear retracted at Hamilton-Civic Airport, resulting in significant damage but no injuries.
What happened
During an approach to Hamilton-Civic Airport, an unidentified aircraft performed a landing without the extension of its landing gear. The impact of the belly landing caused extensive structural damage to the airframe, rendering the vehicle a total loss.
Despite the severity of the impact, all three occupants on board were able to exit the wreckage safely. There were zero fatalities and zero injuries reported following the incident.
Findings
The specific reason for the failure to deploy the landing gear remains undetermined at this time. The primary factor in the damage to the aircraft was the undetermined cause of the gear-up configuration during the final phase of flight.
Probable cause
The cause of the landing gear remaining retracted during the approach is currently unknown.