Eclipse Jet lands gear-up

[KigAir]

I know of an ex-FAA examainer who is now a DE, that almost landed without the gear extended.

 

[Crossky]

You make a good point. Even if there wasn't a warning horn, what kind of professional test pilot forgets to put the gear down?

A distracted one, probably. You can bet the Feds want to their their checklists too. I almost geared up twice, but thanks to the mighty 1900's GPWS we woke up. The horn would've shouted as I brought power back to flare also, thank God we didn't get that close. Both times we were distracted and both pilots focusing on things other that getting the GR down. First time we were on a long straight in and a GA bird in the pattern for the crosswind runway, 2nd time KC center vectored us too tight for the ILS at Hays and I brain farted. It's easy to do, esp in GA aircraft, just don't let it happen to you. No one will (or should) 2nd guess you for triple checking the GR over the fence.

After that I always briefed GR down by LOM, FAF, or 1500' at the latest.

 

[A Squared]

I stand behind 100%. If the gear handle was still up when they grinded to a halt, then yes...they were going through the motions...not using a checklist.

Tell you what, come back when you have a couple of years of flying every day. Tell us then, whether you have ever given the correct response to a checklist item when in fact the switch, control, whetever was not in the correct position. If you say you haven't you either a) are dishonest, or b) of such poor situational awareness that you have never caught yourself giving the correct response when the item was incorrect.

If you think you're immune to this phenomenon, it's becuse you just lack the experience.

 

[Onlyflyfreight]

Tell you what, come back when you have a couple of years of flying every day. Tell us then, whether you have ever given the correct response to a checklist item when in fact the switch, control, whetever was not in the correct position. If you say you haven't you either a) are dishonest, or b) of such poor situational awareness that you have never caught yourself giving the correct response when the item was incorrect.

If you think you're immune to this phenomenon, it's becuse you just lack the experience.

What he said!

Originally Posted by minitour
I stand behind 100%. If the gear handle was still up when they grinded to a halt, then yes...they were going through the motions...not using a checklist.

Your close to that 14 hr duty day, and almost 8 hrs flt, 7 or 9 legs , mostly hard IFR (RVR less than 4000) and you didn't really sleep that well last "night", because your wife didn't like some stupid thing you did. And yeah it's all nightime flying!

Perfectly legal, do this a couple a nights in a row and you'll know the definiton of tired and how easy it can be to "do" something one second and then have no recollection of doing it the next second

 

[Huck]

OK boys, a good friend works in Eclipse flight test, here's the scoop: visual approach on a training flight for a marketing guy, with test pilot in left seat as pilot flying. On downwind, tower asked them to make an early base turn to expedite for an inbound lifeguard flight. He called for gear and landing checklist and was told it was done. Unusually steep approach and lower than normal power anyway. Gear horn was not operational for flight test work.

I fly heavies and my company has a little rule: I'm fully configured at 1000 agl or I go around. That's gear, flaps, on speed, engines spooled up and in a normal descent rate. I'd fly corporate the same way (now, that is. Back in my youthful corporate days it was a WHOLE lot less stable....)

 

[TrafficInSight]

OK boys, a good friend works in Eclipse flight test, here's the scoop: visual approach on a training flight for a marketing guy, with test pilot in left seat as pilot flying. On downwind, tower asked them to make an early base turn to expedite for an inbound lifeguard flight. He called for gear and landing checklist and was told it was done. Unusually steep approach and lower than normal power anyway. Gear horn was not operational for flight test work.

aside from the gear horn not operational part I think that's the recipe for 90% of all gear up landings.

 

[414Flyer]

aside from the gear horn not operational part I think that's the recipe for 90% of all gear up landings.

Yep, when you have a certain routine way you do it, and when that routine gets interupted or changed in some way, well it can happen.

Anyone who says "It can never happen to me", is a little too arrogant to be safe. Any of us can have a bad day and screw up.

I remember once when flying in Hawaii, I had my routine interrupted by tower wanting me to go direct to the numbers, and expedite, for a inbound airliner. Now granted I was just in a C-172, but my concentration switched to getting quickly to the runway and off, which I did.

Only problem was I forgot to report on final, and I did not have clearance to land. Tower asks what is my position, then I realize what I just did. I sheepishly said "turning off on golf" (or something similar). Tower didnt make a big deal of it really, but they could have.

But it can happen to the big iron drivers too. While I was there, either an Aloha or Hawaiian did the exact same thing. They got distracted on final, and landed without clearance. The fear was evident in their voice on the radio when they realized what they just did.

 

[pilotmiketx]

There were two pilots on board. Probably one from Riddle and one from UND.

 

[Flyin Tony]

gear horn not operational

The one in my plane took a crap, I went and made my own (did I just say that)