PLT OF AN SMA SEL LANDED GEAR UP AFTER THE LNDG GEAR FAILED TO PROPERLY EXTEND.
Synopsis
PLT OF AN SMA SEL LANDED GEAR UP AFTER THE LNDG GEAR FAILED TO PROPERLY EXTEND.
Narrative
VISUAL APCH. ANNOUNCED POS ON 123.0. LOWERED GEAR ON R DOWNWIND ABEAM MIDFIELD RWY 35. AIRSPD APPROX 100 KIAS. LOOKED FOR GREEN LIGHT GEAR DOWN POS INDICATOR ON PANEL. DIFFICULT TO TELL IF GREEN LIGHT WAS ON. LOOKED FOR GEAR DOWN INDICATION ON THE FLOOR; NOSE GEAR POS INDICATOR. SAW 'BARBER POLES' IN THE WINDOW. I NEVER REMEMBER HAVING SEEN THIS INDICATION OR BEING TOLD WHAT THIS INDICATION MEANT. I ANNOUNCED MY POS. CHKED WINGTIP MIRRORS. SAW GEAR DOORS OPEN. SAW WHEELS. TURNED THE GREEN LIGHT GEAR POS INDICATOR AND PRESSED TO CHK. CUPPED MY HAND OVER THE GREEN LIGHT. MY THOUGHT WAS THAT I REMEMBERED RECEIVING INSTRUCTION POINTING OUT TO ME THAT IF THE PANEL DIMMER LIGHT HAS BEEN TURNED ON; THE GREEN LIGHT IS VERY DIM IN DIRECT DAYLIGHT. TURNED BASE; ANNOUNCED POS. TURNED FINAL WITH 80 KIAS. CONTINUED CHKING WINGTIP MIRRORS. SAW GEAR DOORS OPEN AND SAW WHEELS. BY NOW I HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE GREEN LIGHT WAS BURNED OUT. AS AIRSPD SLOWED (I HAD REDUCED PWR TO IDLE OVER THE NUMBERS) A WARNING HORN CAME ON. I ADDED PWR SLIGHTLY; THINKING I WAS TOO SLOW AND ABOUT TO STALL. I THEN REDUCED PWR TO IDLE ONCE AGAIN AND SETTLED DOWN ONTO THE RWY CTRLINE (APPROX 60 KIAS); CONTINUING TO INCREASE BACK PRESSURE. I HEARD THE SOUND OF SOFT SCRAPING. I REALIZED THE GEAR WAS NOT FULLY EXTENDED AND LOCKED. I ADDED BACK PRESSURE TO KEEP THE NOSE UP. THE PLANE SETTLED ONTO THE RWY CTRLINE (VERSUS BOUNCING). IT WAS ONE OF THE SOFTEST LNDGS I HAVE MADE. AS THE PLANE SKIDDED AND SLOWED DOWN; THE NOSE BEGAN TO DROP AND THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP. I CLOSED THE THROTTLE; MIXTURE AND KILLED ALL SWITCHES -- ELECTRICAL; MAGNETOS; GENERATOR. THIS WAS DONE DURING THE SKID. I GOT OUT OF THE PLANE; LOOKED FOR SMOKE OR FIRE. NEITHER WERE PRESENT. I STEPPED AWAY FROM THE PLANE. THE PLANE WAS RESTING ON PARTIALLY EXTENDED MAINS AND THE NOSEWHEEL WAS COLLAPSED. THE LNDG GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS IN THE 'OUT' OR BLOWN POS. AN EYEWITNESS ON THE GND SAID HE SAW THE GEAR DOWN BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. FBO REMOVED THE PLANE FROM THE RWY; RESET THE BREAKER; CYCLED THE GEAR. HIS INSPECTION OF THE GEAR REVEALED SOMETHING UP IN ONE OF THE MAINS WAS DEFINITELY BROKEN WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW THE GEAR TO FULLY EXTEND AND LOCK AND WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE BREAKER TO BLOW.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.