Cape Yakataga, AK, USA
N27987
Piper PA-31-310
The airline transport certificated air taxi pilot was positioning the airplane to pickup passengers at a remote airstrip. He reported that he encountered low level turbulence and strong winds during the approach to land, and was unsure if he could complete the landing. As he turned the airplane onto the final approach segment, he said the turbulence diminished, and he elected to land. He indicated that there was a large pool of water on the runway, and he decided to land longer than normal in order to miss the water. Soon after passing the water pool, the airplane settled to the runway, with the landing gear still retracted. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane, and that he simply forgot to lower the landing gear. He said the gear up warning horn did not activate because of the increased power setting he used to fly over the pool of water. He indicated he became distracted during the approach to land because of the turbulence and the water on the runway, and neglected to complete the prelanding checklist.
On September 24, 2003, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-31-310 airplane, N27987, sustained substantial damage during an inadvertent gear-up landing at the Yakataga airstrip, Cape Yakataga, Alaska. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The Title 14, CFR Part 91 cross-country positioning flight was operated by Alaska Air Taxi, Inc., in visual meteorological conditions. The flight departed the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport about 1430, and the destination was the Yakataga airstrip. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed, but was cancelled shortly before the accident. During an interview with two National Transportation Safety Board investigators on September 30, the pilot/operator related that the purpose of the flight was to pick up two passengers at the Yakataga airstrip. He said during his initial approach to the airstrip, he encountered moderate to severe turbulence, and did not think he was going to be able to complete the approach. He continued the approach to runway 07, and as he turned from base leg to final, noted that the turbulence had subsided, and thought he might be able to land. He said he elected to fly down the turf and gravel-covered runway farther than he normally did to avoid a large pool of water on the runway. As he flared the airplane slightly for landing, he felt the cabin step on the right side of the fuselage drag the runway. He realized he had not lowered the landing gear, but decided to continue the landing in lieu of attempting a go-around, with a risk of striking the propellers. During the ensuing landing, the airplane received structural damage to the fuselage belly. The pilot noted that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane, and that he just forgot to lower the landing gear. He said he became preoccupied with dealing with the turbulence and missing the pool of water on the runway, and did not complete the prelanding checklist. He indicated that due to the increased power setting he used to avoid the water, the gear up warning horn did not activate.
The pilot's failure to follow the prelanding checklist, which resulted in a wheels up landing when he neglected to lower the airplane's landing gear. A factor in the accident was the pilot's diverted attention associated with turbulence and a wet airstrip.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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