What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 02/15/2023 the pilot was operating his aircraft, privacy data omitted, a PA-34 in the traffic pattern at the St. Louis Downtown Airport (kcps). The pilot was practicing landings and take-offs and had completed three landings and was performing his fourth. The pilot stated that he was asked by the tower to conduct a short approach, so that he could land prior to a training aircraft (DA-20) that was on a 5 mile final for runway 30L. The pilot stated that he dropped the gear during the turn to final. The pilot stated that he could not see the three green position lights because the sun was in his eyes. The pilot stated that he did not hear a gear warning horn. The pilot stated that he heard the scrapping of metal as the aircraft lowered onto the runway.
As the FAA filed it
ON 02/15/2023 THE PILOT WAS OPERATING HIS AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A PA-34 IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE ST. LOUIS DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (KCPS). THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS AND TAKE-OFFS AND HAD COMPLETED THREE LANDINGS AND WAS PERFORMING HIS FOURTH. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ASKED BY THE TOWER TO CONDUCT A SHORT APPROACH, SO THAT HE COULD LAND PRIOR TO A TRAINING AIRCRAFT (DA-20) THAT WAS ON A 5 MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 30L. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DROPPED THE GEAR DURING THE TURN TO FINAL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE THREE GREEN POSITION LIGHTS BECAUSE THE SUN WAS IN HIS EYES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR A GEAR WARNING HORN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HEARD THE SCRAPPING OF METAL AS THE AIRCRAFT LOWERED ONTO THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.