ANC98LA159

The commercial pilot was landing with a 25 knot, gusting, crosswind. He told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that due to turbulence he had slowed the airplane and extended 20 degrees of flaps while in cruise flight. His normal habit was to extend the landing gear to slow the airplane prior to flap extension. He stated that he forgot to extend the landing gear, heard the 'gear up' warning horn too late to go-around, and landed with the wheels retracted.

On September 25, 1998, at 1740 Alaska daylight time, a Beech A36 airplane, N1820L, sustained substantial damage when it landed with the landing gear retracted at the Stuyahok Airport, New Stuyahok, Alaska. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by Lake Clark Air, Inc., of Port Alsworth, Alaska. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, and departed Port Alsworth at 1645 for New Stuyahok. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company VFR flight plan was filed.

The accident pilot said during a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 25, and wrote in his NTSB Pilot / Operator report, that there was a right crosswind of 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots. He stated that he had slowed the airplane into flap operating range in cruise due to turbulence, and extended 20 degrees of flaps. His normal habit pattern was to extend landing gear to slow the airplane prior to flap extension. The pilot told the IIC that he forgot to lower the landing gear prior to landing. He heard the "gear up" warning horn too late to make a go-around.