What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 18, 2026, pilot entered the traffic pattern for kfwn at approximately 10:00 pm for a left downwind for runway 21. As he was on 45 degree entry to downwind, pilot stated he slowed the airplane down and put his gear down, turned downwind, and then engaged 15 degrees of flaps. He did a “gumps” check, then made his base turn and added an additional 15 degrees of flaps. He turned final and was on a smooth approach for runway 21, picked touchdown point and continued down to the ground. At about ten feet off of the ground, the gear horn went off which he thought was the stall warning. He stated "I’m not certain if I hit the gear lever with my knee or if the gear collapsed but as I hit the runway, it was apparent that the gear was no longer down and I just continued to try to get it safely to a stop, ending up on the center line about halfway down the runway." He shut down fuel, power, magnetos, and exited to make sure there was no fire and called 911.
Photographs taken by airfield manger immediately after landing show landing gear switch was not in down position.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 18, 2026, PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR KFWN AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 PM FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 21. AS HE WAS ON 45 DEGREE ENTRY TO DOWNWIND, PILOT STATED HE SLOWED THE AIRPLANE DOWN AND PUT HIS GEAR DOWN, TURNED DOWNWIND, AND THEN ENGAGED 15 DEGREES OF FLAPS. HE DID A “GUMPS” CHECK, THEN MADE HIS BASE TURN AND ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 15 DEGREES OF FLAPS. HE TURNED FINAL AND WAS ON A SMOOTH APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 21, PICKED TOUCHDOWN POINT AND CONTINUED DOWN TO THE GROUND. AT ABOUT TEN FEET OFF OF THE GROUND, THE GEAR HORN WENT OFF WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS THE STALL WARNING. HE STATED "I’M NOT CERTAIN IF I HIT THE GEAR LEVER WITH MY KNEE OR IF THE GEAR COLLAPSED BUT AS I HIT THE RUNWAY, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE GEAR WAS NO LONGER DOWN AND I JUST CONTINUED TO TRY TO GET IT SAFELY TO A STOP, ENDING UP ON THE CENTER LINE ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY." HE SHUT DOWN FUEL, POWER, MAGNETOS, AND EXITED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO FIRE AND CALLED 911.
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY AIRFIELD MANGER IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING SHOW LANDING GEAR SWITCH WAS NOT IN DOWN POSITION.
Other reports on N2174B · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.