What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot took off from fort launderdale executive airport (fxe) landed on runway 11 at Columbia metropolitant airport (cae) at approximately 1330 on 12 July 2025. Pilot states: he did two landing checks and landed smoothly with no problems. He also stated that after approximately one thousand feet of rolling, the main landing gear collapsed, then, moments later, the nose gear collapsed. Also according to the pilot, the aircraft slid approximately 300-400 feet before coming to rest.
Upon investigation, evidence suggests that the pilot failed to extend the landing gear prior to landing on runway 11. This resulted in the aircraft's fuseage contacting the runway surface, sliding and coming to rest approximately 1,000 feet from touch down. Significant damage to the bottom of the fuseage resulted, including in separation of the aircraft skin from the aft bulkhead and damage to the right wingtip. Further investigation suggests that the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear after the aircraft had come to rest. This is evidenced by a bent nose landing gear linear actuator, lack of evidence of tire sidewall scrubbing and brake caliper material removal from the sliding event, and a battery of tests conducted recommended by the manufacturer to disengage the main landing gear lock assembly. Subsequent landing gear swings performed at maintenance provider indicates that landing gear system functioned as advertised.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT TOOK OFF FROM FORT LAUNDERDALE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (FXE) LANDED ON RUNWAY 11 AT COLUMBIA METROPOLITANT AIRPORT (CAE) AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 ON 12 JULY 2025. PILOT STATES: HE DID TWO LANDING CHECKS AND LANDED SMOOTHLY WITH NO PROBLEMS. HE ALSO STATED THAT AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND FEET OF ROLLING, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THEN, MOMENTS LATER, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. ALSO ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT SLID APPROXIMATELY 300-400 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST.
UPON INVESTIGATION, EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO LANDING ON RUNWAY 11. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FUSEAGE CONTACTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE, SLIDING AND COMING TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET FROM TOUCH DOWN. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSEAGE RESULTED, INCLUDING IN SEPARATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SKIN FROM THE AFT BULKHEAD AND DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WINGTIP. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SUGGESTS THAT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD COME TO REST. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY A BENT NOSE LANDING GEAR LINEAR ACTUATOR, LACK OF EVIDENCE OF TIRE SIDEWALL SCRUBBING AND BRAKE CALIPER MATERIAL REMOVAL FROM THE SLIDING EVENT, AND A BATTERY OF TESTS CONDUCTED RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO DISENGAGE THE MAIN LANDING GEAR LOCK ASSEMBLY. SUBSEQUENT LANDING GEAR SWINGS PERFORMED AT MAINTENANCE PROVIDER INDICATES THAT LANDING GEAR SYSTEM FUNCTIONED AS ADVERTISED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.