What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed Leesburg for a local flight to the practice area west of the field. Practice maneuvers were performed prior to slow flight. When the gear selector handle was placed in the down position, nothing happened. The airmen consulted the emergency checklist and began to troubleshoot the problem. The landing gear was not able to be extended using the manual method.
The manual procedure was attempted several more times without success. The airman radioed Leesburg tower for a return to the airport. A low pass was made down the runway and the tower confirmed that the landing gear was in fact still retracted. The airman returned and lined up for the grass on the side of runway 13 in an attempt to minimize damage and fire risk.
Upon making contact with the ground, both propeller blades recieved damage. A step attached to the fuselage to aid in getting in and out of the aircraft was displaced and caused damage to an aft bulkhead.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LEESBURG FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO THE PRACTICE AREA WEST OF THE FIELD. PRACTICE MANEUVERS WERE PERFORMED PRIOR TO SLOW FLIGHT. WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE WAS PLACED IN THE DOWN POSITION, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE AIRMEN CONSULTED THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST AND BEGAN TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM. THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT ABLE TO BE EXTENDED USING THE MANUAL METHOD.
THE MANUAL PROCEDURE WAS ATTEMPTED SEVERAL MORE TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE AIRMAN RADIOED LEESBURG TOWER FOR A RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. A LOW PASS WAS MADE DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE TOWER CONFIRMED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN FACT STILL RETRACTED. THE AIRMAN RETURNED AND LINED UP FOR THE GRASS ON THE SIDE OF RUNWAY 13 IN AN ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE AND FIRE RISK.
UPON MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, BOTH PROPELLER BLADES RECIEVED DAMAGE. A STEP ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE TO AID IN GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISPLACED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO AN AFT BULKHEAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.