# NTSB WPR15LA202: Short Bros SD3 60, N221LM, Kapolei, HI, June 30, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2015, 19:44 local (Jun 30, 2015, 05:44 UTC) - Place: Kapolei, HI - Coordinates: 21.307222, -158.070281 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3072&lon=-158.0703&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 17, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91470 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15LA202 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91470/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91470 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA202 ## Probable cause The pilots’ failure to extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilots’ failure to complete the Before Landing checklist. ## 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: [Short Bros SD3-60, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=8100606), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Short Bros SD3-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=8100606), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Short Bros SD3-60, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=8100606), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/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: [Short Bros SD3-60, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=8100606), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Short Bros SD3-60, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=8100606), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The captain/check pilot was conducting a scheduled flight check of the first officer. The pilots reported that the approach was uneventful and that they thought that they had completed the Before Landing checklist, which included extending the landing gear and verifying that it was down before landing. However, the airplane landed with the gear up. The airplane had a tricycle landing gear with a fully retractable nose gear and partially retractable main gear. During the landing roll, about a few hundred feet after touchdown on the main gear and as the airplane's nose was lowered, the forward bottom section of the fuselage contacted the runway surface, which resulted in substantial damage. Once the airplane came to a stop, the pilots safely egressed. The pilots reported that they landed the airplane with the landing gear inadvertently retracted. ## Factual narrative On June 29, 2015, about 1944 Hawaiian standard time, a Short Bros SD3-60, N221LM, sustained substantial damage following a gear up landing at the Kalaeloa Airport [John Rogers Field] (JRK) Kapolei, Hawaii. The airplane was registered to and operated by Trans Executive Airlines of Hawaii Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot and commercial pilot, the only occupants of the airplane, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight check flight which originated from Honolulu International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii at about 1850. The flight was a scheduled flight check for the first officer. The crew reported that prior to landing, they thought they had completed the Before Landing checklist. One of the checklist items was to extend the landing gear and ensure it was down. During the landing roll, about a few hundred feet after touchdown, and as the airplane's nose was lowered, the forward bottom section of the fuselage, made contact with the runway surface. The airplane had a tricycle landing gear that used a fully retractable nose gear and a partially retractable main gear. Once the airplane came to a stop, the crew safely egressed. Examination of the airplane wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that the underside of the fuselage, near the nose wheel, sustained damage. Further assessment of the damage by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), determined that there was structural damage. An operation check of the airplane's landing gear revealed no anomalies. The captain completed his flight review on November 11, 2014 and had logged 20,230 hours of total flight time. 6,011 hours were logged in the accident make and model of airplane. The first officer completed his flight review on May 16, 2015 and had reported that he had 272 hours of total flight time. 29 hours were logged in the accident make and model of airplane. During interviews with the NTSB, investigator-in-charge, the flight crew reported that they flew several approaches and landings at JRK. When the accident occurred, it was during their last approach and landing, which upon completion, they had intended on departing JRK. During this approach and landing, the flight crew stated that they landed with the landing gear inadvertently retracted. According to the flight crew, the warning horn to advise them that the landing gear was not extended, did not activate on final, since they were flying a partial flap approach. According to the airplane's technical information, during a partial flap approach, the airplane's warning horn is designed to activate only when either power lever is pulled back to the flight idle position. The power required to maintain airspeed on the partial flap approach can be more than flight idle position and therefore the landing gear warning horn would not activate. The flight crewreported no major distractions during the approach and said that they were not rushed. During their last traffic pattern at JRK, the captain communicated with the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) on downwind, to receive their clearance back to their originating airport. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N221LM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N221LM), registered now, S/N SH3722, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SHORT BROS SD3 60 (VARIANT100) - Registry model: [Short Bros SD3-60](https://openairdocs.org/model/short-bros-sd3-60) (registry code 8100606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [U/A Canada PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/u-a-canada-pt6a-series) (registry code 61508, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: SH3722 - Year built: 1987 - Airframe hours: 30364.9 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6-67R turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT6-67R turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Trans Executive Airlines Of Hawaii - Registered owner: Trans Executive Airlines Of Hawaii Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 17, 2015 - Departed: HNL, HONOLULU, HI - Destination: HNL, HONOLULU, HI - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: JRF, Kalaeloa (John Rodgers Field), runway 22L, 8,000 × 200 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Check pilot; age 75; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 18, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 20,230 total, 6,011 in this make and model, 17,954 as pilot in command, 129 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 23; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 16, 2015; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 272 total, 29 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 310° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: PHJR ## 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 20150629011759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150629011759A), Jun 29, 2015: Short Bros SD3-60, Kapolei, HI, Substantial damage. On June 29, 2015, a company check airman was conducting a 14 CFR part 135.293 and .299 check for an initial new hire (first officer). After completing a VOR… ## Other investigations on N221LM (1) 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. - [NTSB ANC25LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA050), Jun 11, 2025: Short Bros SD3-60 (N221LM), Honolulu, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots’ failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilots’ failure to complete the Before Landing checklist. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 5, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91470. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40435317&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Normal Checklists (item 2, .PDF, 858 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40435318&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Normal%20Checklists-Master.PDF - Record of Email (item 3, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40435319&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Email-Master.PDF - Airline Responses to NTSB (item 4, .PDF, 177 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40435320&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airline%20Responses%20to%20NTSB-Master.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.