What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Airman conducted a VFR flight from bellingham, WA to Orcas Island airport (ors), at twilight/evening. The instrument and landing gear lights were dimmed for night operation. On arrival over ors, the airman conducted the expected landing checklist to include landing gear, but did not catch the amber (up) light prior to landing. He states that he had placed his hand on the gear lever, to verify what he believed was the correct position, but did not verify a green light verification on the panel. The approach to the runway with flaps extended required additional engine power, to maintain his vertical track to the runway, and thereby disarmed the landing gear warning horn. As the airman flared the aircraft to land, power was reduced to idle, the gear warning horn activated, too late for any go around or recovery. A normal landing was made causing skin damage to the belly of the fuselage, and stopping the propeller as the aircraft came to stop.
As the FAA filed it
AIRMAN CONDUCTED A VFR FLIGHT FROM BELLINGHAM, WA TO ORCAS ISLAND AIRPORT (ORS), AT TWILIGHT/EVENING. THE INSTRUMENT AND LANDING GEAR LIGHTS WERE DIMMED FOR NIGHT OPERATION. ON ARRIVAL OVER ORS, THE AIRMAN CONDUCTED THE EXPECTED LANDING CHECKLIST TO INCLUDE LANDING GEAR, BUT DID NOT CATCH THE AMBER (UP) LIGHT PRIOR TO LANDING. HE STATES THAT HE HAD PLACED HIS HAND ON THE GEAR LEVER, TO VERIFY WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS THE CORRECT POSITION, BUT DID NOT VERIFY A GREEN LIGHT VERIFICATION ON THE PANEL. THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY WITH FLAPS EXTENDED REQUIRED ADDITIONAL ENGINE POWER, TO MAINTAIN HIS VERTICAL TRACK TO THE RUNWAY, AND THEREBY DISARMED THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN. AS THE AIRMAN FLARED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND, POWER WAS REDUCED TO IDLE, THE GEAR WARNING HORN ACTIVATED, TOO LATE FOR ANY GO AROUND OR RECOVERY. A NORMAL LANDING WAS MADE CAUSING SKIN DAMAGE TO THE BELLY OF THE FUSELAGE, AND STOPPING THE PROPELLER AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO STOP.
Other reports on N5257S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.