LAX06CA239

The pilot made an inadvertent gear-up landing, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. While on final approach, the pilot adjusted the propeller and the mixture for landing; he failed to confirm the position of the landing gear. As the airplane was in the landing flare, with the landing gear in the retracted position, the tower controller instructed the pilot to abort the landing. The propeller struck the runway surface before the pilot could recover, and the airplane subsequently contacted the runway surface. Following the accident, an airplane mechanic at the airport preformed a cursory exam of the landing gear system. He noted no anomalies; the audible gear warning horn sounded when the respective circuit breaker was pulled.

On July 18, 2006, about 1700 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177RG, N34480, made a gear-up landing at the Camarillo Airport, Camarillo, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed from Whiteman Airport, Pacoima, California, about 1630, with a planned destination of Camarillo. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he had contacted the Camarillo Air Traffic Control Tower about 9 nautical miles (nm) east of the airport. He noted that both sun glare and haze restricted his visibility, making it difficult to identify the airport. With the airplane positioned about 3 nm from the runway, at 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot was able to discern the location of the airport. After the tower controller cleared the pilot to land, the pilot immediately reduced the engine revolutions per minute (rpm) by pulling the throttle control aft, to the idle position. He maneuvered the airplane into a slip configuration in an effort to quickly descend without gaining excessive speed.

The pilot further stated that while on final approach for landing, he had adjusted both the propeller and the mixture controls for landing. He noted that he did not verify that the landing gear was down, via the green landing gear light within the cockpit. During the landing flare, the tower controller gave the pilot instructions to go around. The propeller struck the runway surface before the pilot was able to apply full power for the aborted landing. The airplane subsequently touched down on the runway surface, coming to rest on the gravel shoulder. The airplane sustained damage to the aft bulkhead and the undercarriage of the fuselage.

With the exception of the audible gear warning horn, the pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

An airplane mechanic at the airport preformed a precursory exam of the landing gear system. He noted no anomalies; the audible gear warning horn sounded when the respective circuit breaker was pulled.