What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On final, pilot distracted by GPS annunciator light, failed to check gear position. (.4) the pilot was vectored onto a long final approach to runway 30. About 3 miles from the runway, he slowed the airplane to 140 knots (vgo), then slowed further to the flap operating speed (vfo). He was going throug the final prelanding checklist when a `bright' annunciator light on the GPS (global positioning system) display panel illuminated. The pilot said he was distracted by this light and was trying to turn it off. The pilot wrote, `with this distraction, I failed to check for the gear down green light and landed with the gear up. The gear horn came on as I flared, but it was too late.' (-23) on October 4, 1997, approximately 1900 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N93089, was substantially damaged during an inadvertent wheels up landing at Albuquerque, new Mexico. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated at santa rosa, new Mexico, approximately 1800 . This event was originally classified as an incident and upgraded to an accident after the airplane was inspected by a federal aviation administration airworthiness inspector. The pilot reported that while on final approach to runway 30, he made a final prelanding check. His attention was distracted by an annunciator light on the GPS (global positioning system) that had suddenly illuminated. The pilot then heard the gear warning horn. He failed to ascertain that the landing gear was down and locked, and inadvertently landed wheels up.
As the FAA filed it
ON FINAL, PILOT DISTRACTED BY GPS ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT, FAILED TO CHECK GEAR POSITION. (.4) THE PILOT WAS VECTORED ONTO A LONG FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30. ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY, HE SLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO 140 KNOTS (VGO), THEN SLOWED FURTHER TO THE FLAP OPERATING SPEED (VFO). HE WAS GOING THROUG THE FINAL PRELANDING CHECKLIST WHEN A `BRIGHT' ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ON THE GPS (GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM) DISPLAY PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS DISTRACTED BY THIS LIGHT AND WAS TRYING TO TURN IT OFF. THE PILOT WROTE, `WITH THIS DISTRACTION, I FAILED TO CHECK FOR THE GEAR DOWN GREEN LIGHT AND LANDED WITH THE GEAR UP. THE GEAR HORN CAME ON AS I FLARED, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.' (-23) ON OCTOBER 4, 1997, APPROXIMATELY 1900 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 210L, N93089, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN INADVERTENT WHEELS UP LANDING AT ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO, APPROXIMATELY 1800 . THIS EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT AND UPGRADED TO AN ACCIDENT AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30, HE MADE A FINAL PRELANDING CHECK. HIS ATTENTION WAS DISTRACTED BY AN ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ON THE GPS (GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM) THAT HAD SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT THEN HEARD THE GEAR WARNING HORN. HE FAILED TO ASCERTAIN THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED, AND INADVERTENTLY LANDED WHEELS UP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N93089 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.