What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 19, 2026,, at 2330 et local, privacy data omitted a Mooney M20-C had a gear-up landing at kptw on runway 28. The pilot was identified as Mr. Jonathan cutillo, FAA certificate number privacy data omitted. In a statement provided by Mr. Cutillo he stated that he was building night PIC time and completing some commmercial pilot experience requirements and his flight plan included stops at khgr, kmdt, and krdg before returning back to kptw. When entering the downwind for runway 28 at kptw he stated that he ran through his "gumps" checklist and at the same time he was thinking his pattern was too tight so tracked outward for a longer base leg. He stated that he did not confirm the gear indicator light was green which may have been due to fatigue setting in. He stated that he came across the numbers at the proper height and speed and waitied for the "chirp" of the tires touching the runway which neverf came. He subsequently landed gear up and slid down the runway and the engine stopped due to the prop striking the runway surface. When he came to a stop he did notice that the gear handle was in the down position and circuit breaker was popped. Initially he stated that one of two scenarios caused the gear up landing: 1. He did put the gear handle down during his gumps check and did not realize the circuit breaker popped resulting in the gear malfunctioning; 2. In the shock of landing on the belly of the airplane inadvertantly reached for the gear switch but did not have any recollection of doing so. However, in a follow-up converation he stated that after a couple of days reflecting on the incident he believes that he simply forgot to put the gear handle down and that it was not a mechanical issue. Mr. Cutillo was forthcoming and transparent with all information pertaining to the incident
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 19, 2026,, AT 2330 ET LOCAL, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A MOONEY M20-C HAD A GEAR-UP LANDING AT KPTW ON RUNWAY 28. THE PILOT WAS IDENTIFIED AS MR. JONATHAN CUTILLO, FAA CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. IN A STATEMENT PROVIDED BY MR. CUTILLO HE STATED THAT HE WAS BUILDING NIGHT PIC TIME AND COMPLETING SOME COMMMERCIAL PILOT EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS AND HIS FLIGHT PLAN INCLUDED STOPS AT KHGR, KMDT, AND KRDG BEFORE RETURNING BACK TO KPTW. WHEN ENTERING THE DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 28 AT KPTW HE STATED THAT HE RAN THROUGH HIS "GUMPS" CHECKLIST AND AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS THINKING HIS PATTERN WAS TOO TIGHT SO TRACKED OUTWARD FOR A LONGER BASE LEG. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT CONFIRM THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT WAS GREEN WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO FATIGUE SETTING IN. HE STATED THAT HE CAME ACROSS THE NUMBERS AT THE PROPER HEIGHT AND SPEED AND WAITIED FOR THE "CHIRP" OF THE TIRES TOUCHING THE RUNWAY WHICH NEVERF CAME. HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED GEAR UP AND SLID DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE ENGINE STOPPED DUE TO THE PROP STRIKING THE RUNWAY SURFACE. WHEN HE CAME TO A STOP HE DID NOTICE THAT THE GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION AND CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED. INITIALLY HE STATED THAT ONE OF TWO SCENARIOS CAUSED THE GEAR UP LANDING: 1. HE DID PUT THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN DURING HIS GUMPS CHECK AND DID NOT REALIZE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED RESULTING IN THE GEAR MALFUNCTIONING; 2. IN THE SHOCK OF LANDING ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE INADVERTANTLY REACHED FOR THE GEAR SWITCH BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF DOING SO. HOWEVER, IN A FOLLOW-UP CONVERATION HE STATED THAT AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS REFLECTING ON THE INCIDENT HE BELIEVES THAT HE SIMPLY FORGOT TO PUT THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN AND THAT IT WAS NOT A MECHANICAL ISSUE. MR. CUTILLO WAS FORTHCOMING AND TRANSPARENT WITH ALL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE INCIDENT
Other reports on N3628H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.