20110514009179I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Yakovlev YAK 52 · Galveston, TX · May 14, 2011

Date: May 14, 2011 · 17:22 local
Place: Galveston, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6398Z
Reported as: Yakovlev YAK 52
Reported engine: Vendenyev M14P
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 339 total36 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N6398ZRegistered now · Yakovlev YAK 52S/N 833904 · Built 1984 Airframe modelYakovlev YAK 52 Engine modelVedeneyev M14PReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During a VFR local flight at Galveston Texas (kgls), at approx 1722 local time, the pilot was returning to gls. As he approached the airport, he was instructed by tower ATC to fly an extended right base to runway 35. The pilot had the landing gear and flaps in landing configuration while on the base leg. The pilot stated that as he turned on final, it appeared to be a very short final. In an effort to descend more and make a better landing into a strong headwind, the pilot stated that he elected to retract the flaps. When this action was taken, the pilot inadvertently raised the landing gear. Reconfiguring the aircraft for landing on short final and inattention of the pilot allowed the aircraft to land without the landing gear in the proper position.

As the FAA filed it

DURING A VFR LOCAL FLIGHT AT GALVESTON TEXAS (KGLS), AT APPROX 1722 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO GLS. AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT, HE WAS INSTRUCTED BY TOWER ATC TO FLY AN EXTENDED RIGHT BASE TO RUNWAY 35. THE PILOT HAD THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS IN LANDING CONFIGURATION WHILE ON THE BASE LEG. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE TURNED ON FINAL, IT APPEARED TO BE A VERY SHORT FINAL. IN AN EFFORT TO DESCEND MORE AND MAKE A BETTER LANDING INTO A STRONG HEADWIND, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. WHEN THIS ACTION WAS TAKEN, THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY RAISED THE LANDING GEAR. RECONFIGURING THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING ON SHORT FINAL AND INATTENTION OF THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND WITHOUT THE LANDING GEAR IN THE PROPER POSITION.