What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 15, 2026, at approximately 1359 EDT, a Mitsubishi MU-2 solitaire aircraft, registered as privacy data omitted, experienced gear-up landing at Muskegon airport (mkg), MI. The flight was operated by one pilot, and it was conducted under the guidelines of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. Fortunately, the pilot was not injured.
The flight departed Muskegon County Airport at approximately 1338 EDT for a short flight focusing on practicing approaches and landings. After a successful takeoff, the pilot contacted the tower and received permission to perform a VFR landing on runway 14. While on final approach, the pilot mistakenly believed he had lowered his landing gear and continued on the glide path using PAPI lights with normal speeds. He touched down lightly, in his own words, and didn’t realize what had happened until he heard the grinding of the bottom of the airplane on the runway.
The local controller, once aware of the landing, called privacy data omitted and directed the pilot to turn off his engine and shut off fuel if able. The pilot complied. The aircraft remained upright during the landing and suffered substantial damage. The pilot, however, was not injured in the gear-up landing.
A preliminary review of the meteorological data at the time and location of the incident indicated no adverse weather conditions that might have contributed to the accident. Weather and meteorological conditions were not considered factors in the incident.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 15, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1359 EDT, A MITSUBISHI MU-2 SOLITAIRE AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, EXPERIENCED GEAR-UP LANDING AT MUSKEGON AIRPORT (MKG), MI. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY ONE PILOT, AND IT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. FORTUNATELY, THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MUSKEGON COUNTY AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1338 EDT FOR A SHORT FLIGHT FOCUSING ON PRACTICING APPROACHES AND LANDINGS. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CONTACTED THE TOWER AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO PERFORM A VFR LANDING ON RUNWAY 14. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT MISTAKENLY BELIEVED HE HAD LOWERED HIS LANDING GEAR AND CONTINUED ON THE GLIDE PATH USING PAPI LIGHTS WITH NORMAL SPEEDS. HE TOUCHED DOWN LIGHTLY, IN HIS OWN WORDS, AND DIDN’T REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL HE HEARD THE GRINDING OF THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY.
THE LOCAL CONTROLLER, ONCE AWARE OF THE LANDING, CALLED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND DIRECTED THE PILOT TO TURN OFF HIS ENGINE AND SHUT OFF FUEL IF ABLE. THE PILOT COMPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT DURING THE LANDING AND SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT, HOWEVER, WAS NOT INJURED IN THE GEAR-UP LANDING.
A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THE METEOROLOGICAL DATA AT THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT INDICATED NO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. WEATHER AND METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE NOT CONSIDERED FACTORS IN THE INCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5LC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.