What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 22, 2025, at approx. 16:15 pm local time, a private pilot was operating a Cessna 182R in the vicinity of Lansing Municipal Airport (kigq). There were no other persons on board.
The pilot was in the pattern attempting to land but got distracted when he heard a helicopter say that he was 300' below him. As the pilot tried to find the helicopter, he inadvertantly forgot to place the landing gear handle in the gear down position, resulting in the aircraft landing on its belly.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage due to belly skin scoring from the forward bulkhead to the rib adjacent to the landing gear attach point. The most extensive scoring went through the belly skin where it attaches to the forward bulkhead, the rib adjacent to the wing attach point, and the rib adjacent to the landing gear attach point.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 22, 2025, AT APPROX. 16:15 PM LOCAL TIME, A PRIVATE PILOT WAS OPERATING A CESSNA 182R IN THE VICINITY OF LANSING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KIGQ). THERE WERE NO OTHER PERSONS ON BOARD.
THE PILOT WAS IN THE PATTERN ATTEMPTING TO LAND BUT GOT DISTRACTED WHEN HE HEARD A HELICOPTER SAY THAT HE WAS 300' BELOW HIM. AS THE PILOT TRIED TO FIND THE HELICOPTER, HE INADVERTANTLY FORGOT TO PLACE THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE IN THE GEAR DOWN POSITION, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT LANDING ON ITS BELLY.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DUE TO BELLY SKIN SCORING FROM THE FORWARD BULKHEAD TO THE RIB ADJACENT TO THE LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINT. THE MOST EXTENSIVE SCORING WENT THROUGH THE BELLY SKIN WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE FORWARD BULKHEAD, THE RIB ADJACENT TO THE WING ATTACH POINT, AND THE RIB ADJACENT TO THE LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.