NYC99LA228

The pilot cancelled his IFR clearance as he neared his destination airport, and flew visually. When the airplane was about 3 to 5 miles from the airport, he lowered the landing gear and wing flaps. When the airplane was about 2 miles away, he lost visual contact with the runway, added power for a go-around, and retracted the wing flaps and landing gear. When he was about 1/2 mile from the runway, he re-acquired the runway visually. He reduced the power, and lowered the flaps; however, he forgot to lower the landing gear. He also failed to maintain airspeed and the airplane dropped in from about 50 feet. The lower aft fuselage was crushed upon touchdown.

On August 8, 1999, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-601P, N9756Q, was substantially damaged while landing at Mount Snow Airport (4V8), West Dover, Vermont. The certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight had been operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he filed an IFR flight plan for the flight between Ithaca, New York (ITH), and Mount Snow. The pilot reported that upon arrival in the Mount Snow area, the flight visibility was about 3 1/2 miles and he elected to cancel his flight plan. The pilot continued with a visual approach to Runway 1. The pilot further stated that when the airplane was 4 miles from the airport, the visibility was 3 to 5 miles and he lowered the landing gear and wing flaps. When the airplane was 2 miles from the airport, the weather worsened. He made a decision to go to Keen, New Hampshire (EEN), and retracted the landing gear, raised the wing flaps, and added power. At 1/2 mile from the airport, he saw the landing runway at the last minute and tried to land. He said, "...Not a good decision, forgot [landing] gear." He reported that the airplane hit the runway 1/3 of the way down and skidded to a stop on the left hand side of the runway.

In the Recommendation section on how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated:

"Marginal weather, I made the wrong decision when I saw the airport at the last minute, the airplane is too big for last minute decisions. Not enough time to properly set up for landing configuration for the landing gear the 2nd time."

The pilot reported that he stalled the airplane about 50 to 60- feet above the ground and the airplane landed hard on the runway. The lower fuselage was crushed and bent during the touchdown.