What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/30/2023 at 0743 the amphibious aircraft landed at gon airport, contacting the surface of the runway with the aircraft floats, causing visible scratches to the runway surface and to the floats of the aircraft (keel). No significant damage/injuries observed nor reported. During interview with the pilot, the pilot stated they had picked up the aircraft in Florida the week prior, and had been active in practicing water landings throughout the week preceeding the incident. The pilot stated that prior to landing at gon, they rehearsed lowering the gear but forgot to lower it within the pattern - they could not recall if there was a distractor during the pattern. The pilot did recall checking for "four lights" on final (gear indication), but believes they saw interpreted the 4 red lights as the down lights. The pilot stated it was a possibility they had gotten used to seeing the 4 red lights instead of 4 green due to the number of water landings conducted prior. The pilot stated they looked out the window at the mirrors and believes they saw the gear down, but further stated that they must have been tree shadows and that the contrast due to the environmental conditions may have contributed to the difficulty discerning visually if the gear were indeed down. The pilot stated the gear warning alert, which normally buzzes as the aircraft slows below 80MPH, was not audible and appears to be inoperative. The pilot stated the system was working consistently the week prior. Pilot confirmed that after landing the gear handle was still up. Pilot stated there were no fatigue issues and was well rested. Pilot was the sole occupant.
Airport operations personnel interviewed stated the aircraft landed, dragged aout 2600' on the runway, then taxied on its floats off the runway and shutdown on the ramp.
Aircraft will be brought to pilot's mechanic for repairs and report provided to inspector on any subsequent findings.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/30/2023 AT 0743 THE AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT LANDED AT GON AIRPORT, CONTACTING THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY WITH THE AIRCRAFT FLOATS, CAUSING VISIBLE SCRATCHES TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND TO THE FLOATS OF THE AIRCRAFT (KEEL). NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE/INJURIES OBSERVED NOR REPORTED. DURING INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, THE PILOT STATED THEY HAD PICKED UP THE AIRCRAFT IN FLORIDA THE WEEK PRIOR, AND HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN PRACTICING WATER LANDINGS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK PRECEEDING THE INCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO LANDING AT GON, THEY REHEARSED LOWERING THE GEAR BUT FORGOT TO LOWER IT WITHIN THE PATTERN - THEY COULD NOT RECALL IF THERE WAS A DISTRACTOR DURING THE PATTERN. THE PILOT DID RECALL CHECKING FOR "FOUR LIGHTS" ON FINAL (GEAR INDICATION), BUT BELIEVES THEY SAW INTERPRETED THE 4 RED LIGHTS AS THE DOWN LIGHTS. THE PILOT STATED IT WAS A POSSIBILITY THEY HAD GOTTEN USED TO SEEING THE 4 RED LIGHTS INSTEAD OF 4 GREEN DUE TO THE NUMBER OF WATER LANDINGS CONDUCTED PRIOR. THE PILOT STATED THEY LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AT THE MIRRORS AND BELIEVES THEY SAW THE GEAR DOWN, BUT FURTHER STATED THAT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN TREE SHADOWS AND THAT THE CONTRAST DUE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DIFFICULTY DISCERNING VISUALLY IF THE GEAR WERE INDEED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THE GEAR WARNING ALERT, WHICH NORMALLY BUZZES AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWS BELOW 80MPH, WAS NOT AUDIBLE AND APPEARS TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT STATED THE SYSTEM WAS WORKING CONSISTENTLY THE WEEK PRIOR. PILOT CONFIRMED THAT AFTER LANDING THE GEAR HANDLE WAS STILL UP. PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO FATIGUE ISSUES AND WAS WELL RESTED. PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT.
AIRPORT OPERATIONS PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED STATED THE AIRCRAFT LANDED, DRAGGED AOUT 2600' ON THE RUNWAY, THEN TAXIED ON ITS FLOATS OFF THE RUNWAY AND SHUTDOWN ON THE RAMP.
AIRCRAFT WILL BE BROUGHT TO PILOT'S MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS AND REPORT PROVIDED TO INSPECTOR ON ANY SUBSEQUENT FINDINGS.