See how many contributing factors you can identify in this particular gear-up accident. Full-screen and 1080p for maximum detail.
I'm not gonna judge - I have been in situations where I was distracted enough that the gear warning horn was what saved me from a similarly embarrassing landing.
I was working Crash/Fire/Rescue detail at an airshow. Over the years, mishaps were more likely to occur in the rush to get into the airport before it closed than the show itself. We were at the approach end and I watched a retractable home-built of some kind approach with his gear up.
It took me a few seconds to realize that the gear wasn't going to come down and there was no time for me to grab the handheld. The tower didn't catch it either and he landed wheels up.
We were there in seconds, the pilot hopped out and was sure that the gear had collapsed after touchdown.
The look of sadness and self-disgust was very evident on his face when he realized that I was actually a witness and that he had never lowered the gear.
There was a lot going on at the field during his arrival, I am sure he got distracted and just forgot. I don't know about his checklist practices. I felt bad for him.
The aircraft was quickly removed from the runway and the show commenced.
Am I the only one who hears the gear warning horn long enough before landing to either lower the gear or go around and figure out why that plane is making such a noise? Especially since the commentary on youtube say both the pilot and the guy next to him were experienced pilots with 1000+ hours each...
You can hear one of pilots say that he had been preocuppied by another plane that landed ahead of them. (He thought the other plane was going too fast). I assume their fixation on the speed of the other plane caused them to miss lowering their landing gear.
I'm with whywhyzed, I found myself backing away from the computer screen as he was diving for the runway - unfortunately the camera doesn't pick up the vsi
Ummmm. Well, while I'm far from an expert in fashion, it would seem that the obvious fail here was to allow that man in the right seat to wear a sweater as a scarf.
@whywhyed and @DaveW -The runway has a significant slope which gives the false impression of a steep descent on approach. Even with extended gear that would've been a short rollout.
I was working Crash/Fire/Rescue detail at an airshow. Over the years, mishaps were more likely to occur in the rush to get into the airport before it closed than the show itself. We were at the approach end and I watched a retractable home-built of some kind approach with his gear up.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a few seconds to realize that the gear wasn't going to come down and there was no time for me to grab the handheld. The tower didn't catch it either and he landed wheels up.
We were there in seconds, the pilot hopped out and was sure that the gear had collapsed after touchdown.
The look of sadness and self-disgust was very evident on his face when he realized that I was actually a witness and that he had never lowered the gear.
There was a lot going on at the field during his arrival, I am sure he got distracted and just forgot. I don't know about his checklist practices. I felt bad for him.
The aircraft was quickly removed from the runway and the show commenced.
Is it me or was this approach way too steep and fast?
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one who hears the gear warning horn long enough before landing to either lower the gear or go around and figure out why that plane is making such a noise?
ReplyDeleteEspecially since the commentary on youtube say both the pilot and the guy next to him were experienced pilots with 1000+ hours each...
You can hear one of pilots say that he had been preocuppied by another plane that landed ahead of them. (He thought the other plane was going too fast). I assume their fixation on the speed of the other plane caused them to miss lowering their landing gear.
ReplyDeleteI'm with whywhyzed, I found myself backing away from the computer screen as he was diving for the runway - unfortunately the camera doesn't pick up the vsi
ReplyDeleteUmmmm. Well, while I'm far from an expert in fashion, it would seem that the obvious fail here was to allow that man in the right seat to wear a sweater as a scarf.
ReplyDelete@whywhyed and @DaveW -The runway has a significant slope which gives the false impression of a steep descent on approach. Even with extended gear that would've been a short rollout.
ReplyDelete