WPR15LA264

The commercial pilot was conducting a test flight. The pilot reported that, toward the end of the flight, he was scheduled to test the emergency generator. When the generator was deployed, the fuel gauge indicated below "0" remaining fuel, and all of the warning/advisory lights illuminated for a few seconds. The pilot subsequently chose to return to the airport to land. The pilot reported that, while on the downwind leg, as he was configuring the airplane for a planned drag-chute landing, he became distracted by something in the cockpit that disrupted his checklist flow, but he could not explain what distracted him. As he turned the airplane onto the base leg, he checked the flap and spoiler positions and the landing gear wheel indicators. He noted that he saw three "jittering wheels" but that the gear indicators were difficult to see due to the sun angle and shadows. The pilot then landed the airplane and deployed the drag chute. The airplane slowed very rapidly and came to a rest on the drop tank, which ruptured, and a fire ensued. The pilot egressed from the airplane and noticed that the landing gear were not down. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot's distraction during the downwind leg and his difficulty seeing the landing gear indicators led to his failure to extend the landing gear before landing.

On September 17, 2015 about 1241 mountain standard time, a Douglas A-4N, Canadian registration C-FGZT, landed gear up at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA), Phoenix, Arizona. The commercial pilot (sole occupant) sustained minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane was registered to Discovery Air Defence Services, Montreal, Canada and operated by Top Aces, Mesa, Arizona under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed at the time of the accident. The flight departed IWA at 1015. The pilot reported that towards the end of a 2.6 hour test flight, he conducted three touch and go landings. During the third touch and go he noted that the landing gear handle was "stiff" when lowering the landing gear. The airplane landed uneventfully and took off again. As part of the test plan, the pilot requested to depart the traffic pattern to test an emergency generator. When the generator was deployed everything appeared normal with the exception of the fuel gauge indicating below "0" remaining fuel. Suddenly all of the warning/advisory lights illuminated for 2-3 seconds before extinguishing. Concerned about the fuel gauge indication the pilot proceeded back to the airport to land. The pilot put the electrical system back on the main generator and the fuel gauge returned to an indication he expected. As the pilot approached the airport he prepared for a planned drag chute landing. He entered the downwind; as he started to configure the airplane for landing he remembered becoming distracted by something in the cockpit, but couldn't explain what. As the airplane turned base, he noted that the flaps were in the full down position and the spoilers were armed. He recalls glancing at the landing gear wheel indicators and saw three "jittering wheels," but they were difficult to view due to the sun angle, shadows, and gauge placement. The airplane landed uneventfully and the drag chute was deployed; the airplane slowed very rapidly and came to a rest as it started on fire. The pilot egressed from the airplane safely and noticed that the landing gear was not down. During a postaccident examination of the landing gear system by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector the airplane was lifted up and the landing gear was extended. The airplane was placed back onto the ground and wheeled into the hangar where it was put onto jacks. The inspector visually inspected the landing gear system and was unable to find any physical anomalies. The landing gear system was cycled various times with no anomalies noted.