WPR09FA212

The flight was returning to home base following a 2-hour scenic tour flight. The pilot had established the airplane on final approach and had added the initial increment of flaps for landing when he banked the airplane to point out an area of interest to his passengers. After showing the item of interest, the pilot input full flaps for landing and did not check to make sure that the landing gear was down. The airplane landed on the runway with the landing gear retracted, which caused structural damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.

On April 20, 2009, at 1225 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210L, N367N, was substantially damaged when it landed gear up on runway 03 at Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), Moab, Utah. Arrow West Aviation operated the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135, as a tour (scenic) flight. The pilot and five passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area tour flight and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight departed CNY, about 1030, for the 2-hour flight. According to the pilot's written statement, on final approach, he selected 10 degrees of flaps and then banked the airplane to show a point of interest to the passengers. He reported that "this action so close to the runway distracted me and I failed to lower the gear." He selected full flaps assuming that he had lowered the landing gear. The pilot reported that he did not recall hearing the landing gear warning horn. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the undercarriage/fuselage after sliding 1,300 feet down the runway. The airplane was inspected by an airframe and powerplant mechanic, who reported that the airplane's front and rear door post lower bulkheads along with two diagonal stiffeners aft of the forward bulkhead had also been damaged.