What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Departed big bear airport (L35) at 5PM on Saturday August 16, 2025, with approximately 32 gal of fuel and two occupants. After takeoff the PIC attempted to raise the landing gear, noticing that the two green gear up indicator lights failed to illuminate and upon visual inspection using the wing mirrors, noted the main gear was not fully up and locked. The PIC checked the functionality of the lights and found them operable. The PIC then departed the vicinity of the airport and attempted to lower the gear. The PIC could hear the gear motor running. The PIC attempted to cycle the gear again, then observing no down and locked indication, pulled the circuit breaker which electrically isolated the hydraulic pump motor. Referencing the emergency gear checklist, the PIC attempted to lower the landing gear with the manual pump. The PIC noted that there was no resistance after approx. 200 pumps and gear failed to extend and lock. Around 5:30PM, the PIC contacted El Monte tower (home airport of N2174Q) and appraised them of the situation. The PIC attempted to lower/lock the gear through a series on maneuvers but was unsuccessful. The PIC declared an emergency with tower and followed the gear up landing checklist, which resulted in a smooth landing on the centerline, touching down just beyond the threshold. The aircraft started to slide to the right of center, which the PIC attempted to correct with left rudder, only to turn the nose right, but the slide continued in the direction of travel. The aircraft came to rest near taxiway c at kemt, approximately 20 feet off-centerline and 400 feet from the touchdown point. The PIC and passenger were able to evacuate the aircraft with no injuries. A large pool of hydraulic fluid was observed beneath the aircraft, prior to being removed from the runway. Upon hoisting the aircraft up, the gear was able to be manually extended, however the down lock indicator in the cockpit did not indicate a positive lock.
On Tuesday aug 19, 2025, at 3:30PM, inspectors privacy data omitted inspected the aircraft. Inspectors verified registration, airworthiness and serial number documentation of the aircraft. In addition, inspectors located the aircraft’s checklists, including emergency gear up and landing checklists and aircraft POH. Inspectors took extensive photos of the aircraft in general, as well as detailed photos of the damage incurred during the gear-up landing. Inspectors concluded the damage to be in line with an incident.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED BIG BEAR AIRPORT (L35) AT 5PM ON SATURDAY AUGUST 16, 2025, WITH APPROXIMATELY 32 GAL OF FUEL AND TWO OCCUPANTS. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE LANDING GEAR, NOTICING THAT THE TWO GREEN GEAR UP INDICATOR LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND UPON VISUAL INSPECTION USING THE WING MIRRORS, NOTED THE MAIN GEAR WAS NOT FULLY UP AND LOCKED. THE PIC CHECKED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE LIGHTS AND FOUND THEM OPERABLE. THE PIC THEN DEPARTED THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT AND ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE GEAR. THE PIC COULD HEAR THE GEAR MOTOR RUNNING. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO CYCLE THE GEAR AGAIN, THEN OBSERVING NO DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION, PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR. REFERENCING THE EMERGENCY GEAR CHECKLIST, THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR WITH THE MANUAL PUMP. THE PIC NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE AFTER APPROX. 200 PUMPS AND GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND AND LOCK. AROUND 5:30PM, THE PIC CONTACTED EL MONTE TOWER (HOME AIRPORT OF N2174Q) AND APPRAISED THEM OF THE SITUATION. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO LOWER/LOCK THE GEAR THROUGH A SERIES ON MANEUVERS BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PIC DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH TOWER AND FOLLOWED THE GEAR UP LANDING CHECKLIST, WHICH RESULTED IN A SMOOTH LANDING ON THE CENTERLINE, TOUCHING DOWN JUST BEYOND THE THRESHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SLIDE TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER, WHICH THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH LEFT RUDDER, ONLY TO TURN THE NOSE RIGHT, BUT THE SLIDE CONTINUED IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST NEAR TAXIWAY C AT KEMT, APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET OFF-CENTERLINE AND 400 FEET FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE PIC AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES. A LARGE POOL OF HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS OBSERVED BENEATH THE AIRCRAFT, PRIOR TO BEING REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY. UPON HOISTING THE AIRCRAFT UP, THE GEAR WAS ABLE TO BE MANUALLY EXTENDED, HOWEVER THE DOWN LOCK INDICATOR IN THE COCKPIT DID NOT INDICATE A POSITIVE LOCK.
ON TUESDAY AUG 19, 2025, AT 3:30PM, INSPECTORS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTORS VERIFIED REGISTRATION, AIRWORTHINESS AND SERIAL NUMBER DOCUMENTATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. IN ADDITION, INSPECTORS LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT’S CHECKLISTS, INCLUDING EMERGENCY GEAR UP AND LANDING CHECKLISTS AND AIRCRAFT POH. INSPECTORS TOOK EXTENSIVE PHOTOS OF THE AIRCRAFT IN GENERAL, AS WELL AS DETAILED PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE INCURRED DURING THE GEAR-UP LANDING. INSPECTORS CONCLUDED THE DAMAGE TO BE IN LINE WITH AN INCIDENT.