What happened
On December 4, 2004, an L 410 MA, registration OM-SAB, operated by DUBNICA AIR, s.r.o., was conducting a specialized flight involving parachute drop tests using mannequins. The flight involved low-level passes along runway 060 at altitudes of 200 and 350 meters.
Following the second pass, the crew commenced a left-hand pattern for a landing on runway 24. During this approach, the AFIS controller notified the pilots via radio that individuals were running across the runway. While the pilots confirmed this information via the cockpit intercom, their subsequent internal discussion regarding the runway incursions distracted them from other cockpit duties.
During this period, the AFIS controller attempted to warn the crew that the landing gear was still in the retracted position. However, the radio transmission from the ground station was distorted by noise, rendering the warning unintelligible to the crew. The pilots only became aware of the retracted gear via the cockpit's internal warning tone shortly before touchdown, as they moved the engine throttles to idle. The aircraft subsequently landed on the asphalt surface of runway 24 with the gear up, resulting in minor damage to the main gear brakes, wheel discs, and nose gear fairings. There were no injuries to the crew or any persons on the ground.
The investigation
The investigation established that the crew members held valid licenses and medical certifications appropriate for the flight. The aircraft was maintained according to manufacturer standards and was airworthy at the time of the event. Meteorological conditions were favorable (CAVOK), and the airport infrastructure did not contribute to the accident. The investigation also noted that the crew was focused on managing the runway incursion threat, which led to the oversight of the landing gear configuration.