What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot landed gear up on runway 34 at Lakeway Airport (3R9). One pilot and one passenger on board. No injuries. Aircraft sustained minor damage. Weather was VFR with light winds. Pilot stated he was only airborne 15 minutes.
Pilot stated the incident was probably his fault, but he could not confirm whether or not he had put the gear handle down. He admitted to not verifying gear-down indications prior to landing. ASI observed the landing gear handle in the down position. Witnesses stated the flaps were down but the gear was up. Witness also stated he was going too fast.
Pilot stated he was not aware the aircraft was equipped with automatic landing gear extension system which extends gear automatically below 87 KIAS and less than 14? Manifold pressure. If the system was active, then pilot?s airspeed was too fast.
Pilot had just purchased the aircraft 3-days prior and flew it back from Indiana. He received a brief aircraft check out, consisting of some airwork and three landings. He was not adequately familiar with the aircraft systems.
Pilot admitted to a 3-year break in flying and had an expired 61.56 flight review.
The pilot had several recent significant life events and was probably not in the best frame of mind to be flying.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT LANDED GEAR UP ON RUNWAY 34 AT LAKEWAY AIRPORT (3R9). ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD. NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. WEATHER WAS VFR WITH LIGHT WINDS. PILOT STATED HE WAS ONLY AIRBORNE 15 MINUTES.
PILOT STATED THE INCIDENT WAS PROBABLY HIS FAULT, BUT HE COULD NOT CONFIRM WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD PUT THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN. HE ADMITTED TO NOT VERIFYING GEAR-DOWN INDICATIONS PRIOR TO LANDING. ASI OBSERVED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION. WITNESSES STATED THE FLAPS WERE DOWN BUT THE GEAR WAS UP. WITNESS ALSO STATED HE WAS GOING TOO FAST.
PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC LANDING GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM WHICH EXTENDS GEAR AUTOMATICALLY BELOW 87 KIAS AND LESS THAN 14? MANIFOLD PRESSURE. IF THE SYSTEM WAS ACTIVE, THEN PILOT?S AIRSPEED WAS TOO FAST.
PILOT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT 3-DAYS PRIOR AND FLEW IT BACK FROM INDIANA. HE RECEIVED A BRIEF AIRCRAFT CHECK OUT, CONSISTING OF SOME AIRWORK AND THREE LANDINGS. HE WAS NOT ADEQUATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.
PILOT ADMITTED TO A 3-YEAR BREAK IN FLYING AND HAD AN EXPIRED 61.56 FLIGHT REVIEW.
THE PILOT HAD SEVERAL RECENT SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVENTS AND WAS PROBABLY NOT IN THE BEST FRAME OF MIND TO BE FLYING.
Other reports on N55786 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.