What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After two previous uneventful landings, the PIC landed N8971M with the landing gear in the retracted position on runway 17 OA6. Post-incident inspection revealed excessive wear to the safety mechanism in the gear handle that allowed the switch to move with only light pressure exerted. The PIC believes he bumped the gear switch while adjusting the trim or throttle on short final. He did not hear a gear warning horn until power was reduced during the flare, and was reluctant to initiate a go-around. Damage to N8971M, the property of the PIC, was limited to both propellers and belly skin scrapes. The PIC (only occupant) was not injured. PIC counseled with regard to verification of landing configuration prior to touchdown, and to question any systems that appear not to function as designed. This incident, privacy data omitted is closed with this report.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER TWO PREVIOUS UNEVENTFUL LANDINGS, THE PIC LANDED N8971M WITH THE LANDING GEAR IN THE RETRACTED POSITION ON RUNWAY 17 OA6. POST-INCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE SAFETY MECHANISM IN THE GEAR HANDLE THAT ALLOWED THE SWITCH TO MOVE WITH ONLY LIGHT PRESSURE EXERTED. THE PIC BELIEVES HE BUMPED THE GEAR SWITCH WHILE ADJUSTING THE TRIM OR THROTTLE ON SHORT FINAL. HE DID NOT HEAR A GEAR WARNING HORN UNTIL POWER WAS REDUCED DURING THE FLARE, AND WAS RELUCTANT TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND. DAMAGE TO N8971M, THE PROPERTY OF THE PIC, WAS LIMITED TO BOTH PROPELLERS AND BELLY SKIN SCRAPES. THE PIC (ONLY OCCUPANT) WAS NOT INJURED. PIC COUNSELED WITH REGARD TO VERIFICATION OF LANDING CONFIGURATION PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, AND TO QUESTION ANY SYSTEMS THAT APPEAR NOT TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. THIS INCIDENT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITT^ IS CLOSED WITH THIS REPORT.
Other reports on N8971M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.