DEN00LA097

During an instructional flight, while practicing an engine out approach to land, the student pilot failed to lower the landing gear. The tower asked the pilot to 'verify gear down' and the flight instructor initiated a go-around on short final. The aircraft settled and landed with the landing gear retracted on the grass beside the runway causing damage to the propellers and underside of the aircraft hull. The flight instructor said the engines failed to respond; however, an examination of the engines by an FAA airworthiness inspector produced no evidence of preimpact malfunction or failure.

On May 30, 2000, at 1640 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180T, N8303P, landed with the landing gear retracted at Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The certified flight instructor pilot and private certificated student pilot were not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Aspen Flying Club, under Title 14 CFR Part 91, was operating the local area instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to information provided by the flight instructor, the flight had been airborne approximately 2 hours, and the student pilot was practicing an engine out approach. The flight instructor said he realized on final that the student had failed to extend the landing gear and the flight instructor initiated a go-around. The engines failed to respond and a landing gear retracted landing was made in the grass on the left side of runway 35L.

According to information provided by Centennial Airport Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) control tower personnel, the controller asked the pilot to "verify gear down" when the aircraft was on short final to land. The pilot replied that he was initiating a "go-around" and the aircraft settled on to the ground.

An FAA airworthiness inspector examined airframe and engines. The propellers and underside of the aircraft hull sustained damage. No evidence was found of engine failure or malfunction.