# NTSB MIA01LA044: Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C, N139CG, Hilton Head Isl, SC, December 16, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 16, 2000, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC) - Place: Hilton Head Isl, SC - Location: 32.2245° N, 80.6974° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HILTON HEAD (HXD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2245&lon=-80.6974&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 19, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 51248 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51248/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA044 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper inflight planning/decision and failure to follow the prelanding checklist, resulting in the landing gear not being lowered in sufficient time to be verified down and locked, which resulted in a wheels up landing and substantial damage to the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - checklist - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - gear extension - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - gear down and locked - not verified, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he had been flying for about 20 minutes and became concerned that fog may be moving into the airport area so he returned for a landing. During landing the pilot said he did not extend the landing gear on the downwind leg as he normally did, and he realized he had not done so late, just prior to landing. He said the landing gear touched the runway before it was fully extended and locked. According to the pilot the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid on its belly to a stop on the runway, incurring substantial damage. The pilot said that no mechanical malfunctions existed with either the aircraft, or its systems prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On December 16, 2000, about 1450 eastern standard time, an Aero Vodochody L39C, N139CG, registered to Glastonbury Aviation LLC, and operated as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, had its landing gear collapse during landing at Hilton Head Airport, Hilton Head, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage, and the commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft was not injured. The flight originated the same day, about 1420. The pilot stated that he had been flying for about 20 minutes east of the Hilton Head Airport, over the ocean, when he became concerned that fog may be moving into the airport area, so he returned for a landing. The pilot further stated that during the landing preparations he did not extend the landing gear on the downwind leg as he normally did, and he realized he had not done so late, just prior to landing. He said the landing gear touched the runway before it was fully extended and locked. According to the pilot, the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid to a stop on the runway, incurring substantial damage. The pilot said that no mechanical malfunctions existed with either the aircraft, or its systems prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: N139CG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C (L39C) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 332748 - Engines: AI-25-TL 23800 lbs thrust turbo jet - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Christos I. Grigoriou - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: HXD - Airport: HXD, Hiilton Head, runway 21, 4,300 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 4,108 total, 125 in this make and model, 4,050 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SAV, 30 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20001216024679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001216024679A), Dec 16, 2000: Aerovd L39C, Hilton Island, SC, No damage. (-23) The a/c landed gear-up on runway 21 at the Hilton Head Airport, Hilton Head Island, SC, (hxd), and skidded to a stop approx. 3000 feet down the runway.… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.