What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
This accident involved a Cessna citation 525B (CJ3) operated under part 91. During the approach to landing the pilot recalls setting the flaps and moving the landing gear selection handle but did not remember setting the landing gear in the full down position. At that time in the pilot's flow, he received a call from ATC regarding departure traffic and also observed a flock of birds which distracted him. The pilot stated that he switched hands on the controls to access the push to talk button when responding to ATC and did not keep his hand on the landing gear handle as his normal operating practice would dictate. The pilot admitted that he did not verify whether the landing gear indicator lights displayed three green lights and does not recall observing three green lights on approach/landing. When the aircraft touched down there was an immediate sound of the aircraft contacting the runway and skidding that lasted until the aircraft came to rest. During this landing skid the aircraft caught fire. The pilot initiated an evacuation when the aircraft came to a stop and all occupants escaped the aircraft with no injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. Testing and observation was conducted by NTSB and Textron. During the investigation, the Textron representative confirmed that there is no ability for partial selection of landing gear in this aircraft. Further, if a partial setting was chosen, the gear handle would automatically revert to the up position. At the time of completion for this report, the results from testing components has not provided any evidence to suggest a mechanical irregularity with the landing gear system.
As the FAA filed it
THIS ACCIDENT INVOLVED A CESSNA CITATION 525B (CJ3) OPERATED UNDER PART 91. DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING THE PILOT RECALLS SETTING THE FLAPS AND MOVING THE LANDING GEAR SELECTION HANDLE BUT DID NOT REMEMBER SETTING THE LANDING GEAR IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. AT THAT TIME IN THE PILOT'S FLOW, HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM ATC REGARDING DEPARTURE TRAFFIC AND ALSO OBSERVED A FLOCK OF BIRDS WHICH DISTRACTED HIM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SWITCHED HANDS ON THE CONTROLS TO ACCESS THE PUSH TO TALK BUTTON WHEN RESPONDING TO ATC AND DID NOT KEEP HIS HAND ON THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE AS HIS NORMAL OPERATING PRACTICE WOULD DICTATE. THE PILOT ADMITTED THAT HE DID NOT VERIFY WHETHER THE LANDING GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS DISPLAYED THREE GREEN LIGHTS AND DOES NOT RECALL OBSERVING THREE GREEN LIGHTS ON APPROACH/LANDING. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE SOUND OF THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTING THE RUNWAY AND SKIDDING THAT LASTED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST. DURING THIS LANDING SKID THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EVACUATION WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AND ALL OCCUPANTS ESCAPED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. TESTING AND OBSERVATION WAS CONDUCTED BY NTSB AND TEXTRON. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE TEXTRON REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS NO ABILITY FOR PARTIAL SELECTION OF LANDING GEAR IN THIS AIRCRAFT. FURTHER, IF A PARTIAL SETTING WAS CHOSEN, THE GEAR HANDLE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY REVERT TO THE UP POSITION. AT THE TIME OF COMPLETION FOR THIS REPORT, THE RESULTS FROM TESTING COMPONENTS HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST A MECHANICAL IRREGULARITY WITH THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.