# NTSB WPR09CA294: Dornier ALPHA-JET, N707XA, Arlington, WA, June 17, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 16, 2009, 17:45 local (Jun 17, 2009, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Arlington, WA - Coordinates: 48.160831, -122.158889 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.1608&lon=-122.1589&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 10, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Seattle FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74078 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09CA294 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74078/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74078 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA294 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. Contributing to the accident were the distractions created by the pilot incorrectly setting a radio frequency and by his fixation on an airplane that was on the runway during his approach. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Dornier ALPHA-JET, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=2995001), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Dornier ALPHA-JET, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=2995001), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Dornier ALPHA-JET, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=2995001), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Dornier ALPHA-JET, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=2995001), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis As he was preparing to land, the contract pilot, who was positioning the airplane at the destination airport for minor maintenance, inadvertently set one number incorrectly when he initially set in the common traffic advisory frequency. After transmitting his position/intent four times, and hearing no other aircraft on the radio (including one that he saw on the runway), he realized that his frequency was not set correctly. He therefore set in the correct frequency. About the time he was resetting the frequency, he lowered the flaps to full, but inadvertently forgot to lower the landing gear. As he continued on around the pattern, he became "preoccupied" with the aircraft that was on the runway, and did not notice that the gear was not extended. He subsequently landed with the gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the belly stringers and bulkheads. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies associated with any of the airplane's systems. ## Factual narrative The contract pilot, who was positioning the airplane at the destination airport for minor maintenance, inadvertently set one number incorrectly when he initially set in the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). After transmitting his position/intent four times, and hearing no other aircraft on the radio (including one that he saw on the runway), he realized that his frequency was not set correctly. He therefore set in the correct frequency. About the time he was resetting the frequency, he lowered the flaps to full, but inadvertently forgot to lower the landing gear. As he continued on around the pattern, he became "preoccupied" with the aircraft that was on the runway, and did not notice that the gear was not extended. He subsequently landed with the gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the belly stringers and bulkheads. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies associated with any of the airplane's systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N707XA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N707XA-2015-03-19), registration cancelled 2015-03-19, S/N 0007, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DORNIER GMBH ALPHA-JET - Registry model: [Dornier ALPHA-JET](https://openairdocs.org/model/dornier-alpha-jet) (registry code 2995001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Snecma LARZAC-04-C20](https://openairdocs.org/engine/snecma-larzac-04-c20) (registry code 57301, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0007 - Engines: Snecma 04C20 turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: KBFI, Seattle, WA - Destination: KAWO, Arlington, WA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KAWO, Arlington, runway 16, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 20,558 total, 108 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F ## 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 20090617009249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090617009249A), Jun 17, 2009: Dornie ALPHAJET, Arlington, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated that he had made three transmission of his position and intent and had heard no response. The pilot stated that when he was approaching… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74078. 669 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 669 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316140&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.