AUSTIN, TX, USA
N974DC
Piper PA-31T
After an uneventful 1.5 hour on-demand air taxi flight, the pilot made a wheels up landing. He reported that during the flare, he realized that the gear was not extended. He attempted to execute a 'go-around', but was too late as the right propeller contacted the runway surface. Subsequently, the left propeller contacted the runway, and the aircraft 'skipped down the runway', went through grass, and impacted a hangar.
On July 4, 1997, approximately 0830 central daylight time, a Piper PA-31T airplane, N974DC, owned by Ocaas L.L.C., of Amarillo, Texas, and operated by O'Hara Flying Service, of Amarillo, Texas, was substantially damaged following a wheels up landing at Austin Airpark, Austin, Texas. Both occupants, the airline transport rated pilot and passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The flight originated from Amarillo, Texas, at 0700. The pilot reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge, via NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that the purpose of the flight was to transport a passenger to Austin and return to Amarillo. The revenue passenger told the pilot that he was not sure as to which airport near Austin he was supposed to land at, and that he thought it was "Austin Executive Airport." With that information, the pilot flew the aircraft to, and landed at Austin Executive without incident. After landing, the passenger told the pilot that it was the wrong airport. The pilot then took off again and was vectored to Austin Airpark. The short flight to the Airpark was flown in VMC conditions at 1,000 feet AGL. The pilot stated that during the final landing flare, he had "forgotten" to lower the landing gear. He then attempted to execute a "go-around", but was too late as the right propeller contacted the runway surface. Subsequently, the left propeller contacted the runway, and the aircraft "skipped down the runway", went through the grass, and impacted a hangar. The impact with the hangar resulted in the right wing being destroyed and the left wing sustaining structural damage.
the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's failure to follow the landing checklist.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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