What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 18,2026, at approximately 1400 CDT, aircraft privacy data omitted experienced what was believed to be a gear-up landing at Lafayette Regional Airport (klft) during a demonstration flight for a prospective purchaser. The pilot reported selecting the landing gear down on final approach and observing the three green gear indication lights. Weather conditions at the time included moderate crosswinds and turbulence. Upon touchdown, a warning horn sounded, and the aircraft came to rest on the runway without injury to the pilot or passenger.
FAA inspectors responded to the scene, documented the occurrence, and coordinated recovery efforts. The aircraft was removed from the runway and secured in a hangar for further examination. Subsequent inspection of maintenance records found the aircraft to be following applicable requirements.
On may 19,2026, FAA inspectors conducted a detailed examination of the aircraft and landing gear system. Damage was limited to abrasion of the lower belly skin and the loss of lower antenna/panel. No significant damage was found to the engines, landing gear system, wings, tail section, or primary structure. The damage did not meet the definition of “substantial damage” under 49 CFR 830.2 and was therefore classified as an aircraft incident.
Operational testing of the landing gear system revealed normal performance. The landing gear extended and locked properly, gear indication lights illuminated, and the warning horn functioned as designed. No evidence of mechanical malfunction, binding, or system failure was identified. Investigators noted that the gear indication lights appeared dim when viewed from certain angles.
Statements obtained from both pilot and passenger indicated they believed the landing gear was extended prior to landing and that the approach was affected by turbulence and crosswinds. The passenger additionally noted that the gear lights could be difficult to discern under certain conditions. He also noted that just before the approach he heard the warning horns indicating that the gear wasn’t down. Pilot stated that he only heard the warning horn once aircraft landed.
Based on the investigation, no mechanical deficiencies were identified. Contributing factors likely included environmental conditions, increased cockpit workload during the approach, and possible misinterpretation of landing gear indications. Following coordination with FAA operations inspectors, counseling was determined to be appropriate corrective action.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 18,2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 CDT, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A GEAR-UP LANDING AT LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT (KLFT) DURING A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT FOR A PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER. THE PILOT REPORTED SELECTING THE LANDING GEAR DOWN ON FINAL APPROACH AND OBSERVING THE THREE GREEN GEAR INDICATION LIGHTS. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME INCLUDED MODERATE CROSSWINDS AND TURBULENCE. UPON TOUCHDOWN, A WARNING HORN SOUNDED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE RUNWAY WITHOUT INJURY TO THE PILOT OR PASSENGER.
FAA INSPECTORS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, DOCUMENTED THE OCCURRENCE, AND COORDINATED RECOVERY EFFORTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY AND SECURED IN A HANGAR FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOUND THE AIRCRAFT TO BE FOLLOWING APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS.
ON MAY 19,2026, FAA INSPECTORS CONDUCTED A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO ABRASION OF THE LOWER BELLY SKIN AND THE LOSS OF LOWER ANTENNA/PANEL. NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS FOUND TO THE ENGINES, LANDING GEAR SYSTEM, WINGS, TAIL SECTION, OR PRIMARY STRUCTURE. THE DAMAGE DID NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF “SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE” UNDER 49 CFR 830.2 AND WAS THEREFORE CLASSIFIED AS AN AIRCRAFT INCIDENT.
OPERATIONAL TESTING OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED NORMAL PERFORMANCE. THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED AND LOCKED PROPERLY, GEAR INDICATION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, AND THE WARNING HORN FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, BINDING, OR SYSTEM FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED. INVESTIGATORS NOTED THAT THE GEAR INDICATION LIGHTS APPEARED DIM WHEN VIEWED FROM CERTAIN ANGLES.
STATEMENTS OBTAINED FROM BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER INDICATED THEY BELIEVED THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED PRIOR TO LANDING AND THAT THE APPROACH WAS AFFECTED BY TURBULENCE AND CROSSWINDS. THE PASSENGER ADDITIONALLY NOTED THAT THE GEAR LIGHTS COULD BE DIFFICULT TO DISCERN UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. HE ALSO NOTED THAT JUST BEFORE THE APPROACH HE HEARD THE WARNING HORNS INDICATING THAT THE GEAR WASN’T DOWN. PILOT STATED THAT HE ONLY HEARD THE WARNING HORN ONCE AIRCRAFT LANDED.
BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION, NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE IDENTIFIED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS LIKELY INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, INCREASED COCKPIT WORKLOAD DURING THE APPROACH, AND POSSIBLE MISINTERPRETATION OF LANDING GEAR INDICATIONS. FOLLOWING COORDINATION WITH FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTORS, COUNSELING WAS DETERMINED TO BE APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION.
Other reports on N5066Q · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.