What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of the deviation:
While operating on a VFR flight plan, privacy data omitted had a gear-up landing at keks, Ennis, MT airport on runway 16 after the pilot failed to lower the landing gear.
Causaul and/or contributing factors:
The pilot reported that the flight was normal, there was no adverse weather and only one other aircraft in the traffic pattern as he approached the airport. The pilot reported extending the downwind to the north as he approached the airport to lose more altitude and step down to pattern altitude after coming into the valley from the mountains to the east of the field. The pilot stated that during the downwind is when he normally conducted the first “gumps” check, however, this check and any subsequent “gumps” check was not completed. The pilot stated that he recalled chatting with the passenger about the VASI lights during the approach.
No ATC actions contributory to the event.
No recommendations for systemic corrective action.
Action taken to correct problem and prevent reoccurance:
Compliance action – counseling. The pilot was counseled on single pilot resource management, checklist usage and methods to ensure situational awareness to include a sterile cockpit during critical phases of flight to avoid distractions.
Sas: NM05202400346
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVIATION:
WHILE OPERATING ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD A GEAR-UP LANDING AT KEKS, ENNIS, MT AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 16 AFTER THE PILOT FAILED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR.
CAUSAUL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS NORMAL, THERE WAS NO ADVERSE WEATHER AND ONLY ONE OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED EXTENDING THE DOWNWIND TO THE NORTH AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT TO LOSE MORE ALTITUDE AND STEP DOWN TO PATTERN ALTITUDE AFTER COMING INTO THE VALLEY FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE EAST OF THE FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE DOWNWIND IS WHEN HE NORMALLY CONDUCTED THE FIRST “GUMPS” CHECK, HOWEVER, THIS CHECK AND ANY SUBSEQUENT “GUMPS” CHECK WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RECALLED CHATTING WITH THE PASSENGER ABOUT THE VASI LIGHTS DURING THE APPROACH.
NO ATC ACTIONS CONTRIBUTORY TO THE EVENT.
NO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION.
ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND PREVENT REOCCURANCE:
COMPLIANCE ACTION – COUNSELING. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON SINGLE PILOT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, CHECKLIST USAGE AND METHODS TO ENSURE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TO INCLUDE A STERILE COCKPIT DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLIGHT TO AVOID DISTRACTIONS.
SAS: NM05202400346
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.