Incident Overview
A retractable landing gear-equipped airplane sustained substantial damage during a training flight when the landing gear was not extended before touchdown. The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported that he was conducting an instructional flight for his new second-in-command (SIC), who was seated in the left seat. The flight was the third leg of the day, and the crew had complied with a tower request to maintain speed during the approach. As they configured for landing, the PIC called for full flaps and retarded the throttle to flight idle.
Landing Gear Not Extended
The PIC stated that he did not hear the landing gear warning horn, which would have indicated the gear was not down. However, both pilots were wearing noise-cancelling headsets, and the aural warning tone was not configured to be heard through such headsets. Additionally, the landing gear position lights were obscured from the PIC's view by the SIC's knee. The SIC reported applying full flaps but believed the gear extension procedure was missed; he also did not hear the warning horn. Neither pilot could recall who read the Before Landing checklist from the airplane flight manual.
Touchdown and Damage
Following the flare, the PIC heard the propellers contact the runway. He decided against initiating a go-around due to unknown propeller damage. The airplane settled onto the runway and slid to a stop. Examination after the incident revealed substantial damage to the fuselage bulkheads, longerons, and stringers.
Post-Incident Examination
An FAA Aviation Safety Inspector examined the wreckage. During recovery, the PIC extended the nose landing gear via the normal process, but the main landing gear (MLG) could not be extended hydraulically or manually due to significant damage to the MLG doors. An operational check of the landing gear warning horn was not possible because the wreckage was deemed unsafe to enter after removal from the runway.
Pilot Reports
The SIC described the flight as a training flight in visual flight rules conditions with busy airspace. The PIC noted that during the approach, they discussed prior flight events and complied with air traffic control instructions to keep speed high. Both pilots acknowledged the landing gear was not extended and that the warning horn was not heard.