CEN20LA095

The flight instructor and student pilot both reported verifying that the landing gear selector handle was in the down position when the airplane was on final approach. The flight instructor observed that the gear-down indicator light was illuminated, and he saw out the right-side window that the right main landing gear was fully extended. The student pilot noted the landing touchdown was "soft"; however, the landing gear collapsed after touchdown. Postaccident examination of the landing gear system did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a malfunction of the landing gear extension system that would preclude normal operation. Damage to the nose landing gear doors and the main landing gear strut steps was consistent with the landing gear being fully retracted when the fuselage contacted the runway pavement. The main wheel tires also lacked abnormal wear or abrasion, consistent with the gear being retracted. This evidence suggests that despite recalling that the landing gear was extended, the flight instructor and student failed to ensure that the landing gear was fully extended before landing.

On February 18, 2020, about 1850 central standard time, a Cessna 177RG airplane, N2763V, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS), Chesterfield, Missouri. The student pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported the landing gear selector handle was down and the gear down indicator (green) light was illuminated on short final. The right main landing gear appeared to be fully extended when viewed out the right-side window. After the airplane touched down on the runway, the landing gear collapsed. The student pilot reported the flight instructor stated "green clear to land" as the airplane crossed the airport perimeter fence on final approach. The student pilot completed a before landing "GUMPS" check and placed his hand on the landing gear handle to ensure it was in the down position. Landing touchdown was "soft;" however, the airplane started "sinking" during the rollout. The belly of the airplane subsequently contacted the ground. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector with assistance from a local maintenance facility. The airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was retracted and extended 5 times with no anomalies noted. The landing gear system functioned normally, locking in both the up and down positions. The cockpit gear position indicator lights operated normally. The landing gear was actuated using the emergency extension system with no anomalies observed. The airplane sustained extensive scraping damage to the lower fuselage, which included the aft, exterior portion of the nose landing gear doors, and the forward, outboard portion of the steps installed on the main landing gear struts. The main wheel tires appeared to exhibit normal wear and without any transverse abrasion.