Let L-410UVP-E9 – 5H-PAB

Incident Overview

Date: Monday 26 July 1999

Aircraft Type: Let L-410UVP-E9

Owner/operator: Precision Air

Registration Number: 5H-PAB

Location: Arusha Airport (ARK) – ÿ Tanzania

Phase of Flight: Landing

Status: Substantial, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5

Component Affected: Landing GearLanding Gear

Category: Accident

A Boeing 737-410 passenger plane, registration 5H-PAB, experienced a significant landing accident during a circuit training exercise near Arusha Airport (ARK). The aircraft, carrying one instructor, a pilot trainee, and three passengers, executed a nine-touch and go circuit with three flaps, one with zero flaps, and one with 18ø flaps. Prior to the first flapless landing, the instructor directed the trainee to extend the approach and establish a six-mile final to runway 09. Upon establishing the final, the instructor observed a low aircraft position and instructed the trainee to adjust the approach. After the instructor initiated the flare, the tail skid struck the ground, causing damage to the fuselage, belly, and nose. The aircraft slid for approximately 164 meters before coming to a controlled stop on the runway. The crew discovered the belly landing only after touchdown. The commander then initiated reverse thrust, and no fire or injuries were reported. The instructor stated he had forgotten to lower the landing gear due to focusing on the descent rate and flare execution. The pilot testified he had concentrated too much on the technical aspects of flight, neglecting the gear down selection checklist. The pilot’s only checklist used was the one contained in a book, and it was not used for the accident landing.A Boeing 737-410 passenger plane, registration 5H-PAB, experienced a significant landing accident during a circuit training exercise near Arusha Airport (ARK). The aircraft, carrying one instructor, a pilot trainee, and three passengers, executed a nine-touch and go circuit with three flaps, one with zero flaps, and one with 18ø flaps. Prior to the first flapless landing, the instructor directed the trainee to extend the approach and establish a six-mile final to runway 09. Upon establishing the final, the instructor observed a low aircraft position and instructed the trainee to adjust the approach. After the instructor initiated the flare, the tail skid struck the ground, causing damage to the fuselage, belly, and nose. The aircraft slid for approximately 164 meters before coming to a controlled stop on the runway. The crew discovered the belly landing only after touchdown. The commander then initiated reverse thrust, and no fire or injuries were reported. The instructor stated he had forgotten to lower the landing gear due to focusing on the descent rate and flare execution. The pilot testified he had concentrated too much on the technical aspects of flight, neglecting the gear down selection checklist. The pilot’s only checklist used was the one contained in a book, and it was not used for the accident landing.

Description

A Let 410 passenger plane, 5H-PAB, took off from Arusha Airport (ARK) at 12:35 hours for a circuit training. It was carrying one instructor, a pilot trainee and three passengers. The aircraft was flying VFR. The instructor said that he intended to execute nine touch and go circuit operations, three of which were to be performed with 42ø flaps, another three with 18ø flaps and the rest with zero degree flaps. The first six circuits were performed uneventfully. Before initiating the first flapless landing the instructor ordered the trainee to extend his approach and establish a six-mile final to runway 09. When the aircraft was established on the final for runway 09 the instructor saw that the aircraft was a bit too low and ordered the trainee to adjust his approach. After 5H-PAB was established on the approach slope the instructor advised the trainee to call when he needed props fully forward (setting propellers into full coarse pitch). This he subsequent1y did and the instructor, aware of the relatively high aircraft speed for the configuration advised the trainee to be careful on the flare in order to avoid the possibility of the tail skid hitting the ground. When the aircraft was flared, the tail skid hit and scraped the ground followed by the belly and the nose underside section. After sliding for 164 metres the aircraft came to rest on the runway with the engines still running. The instructor carried out the emergency shut down checks and evacuated the aircraft. It was only after touch down that the crew realised that they had belly landed. The commander then proceeded to select reverse thrust. There was no fire and none of the occupants was injured. The instructor said that he had forgotten to lower the landing gear because of his preoccupation with the rate of descent and the execution of the flapless flare. The pilot under instruction testified that he had concentrated too much an the technical side of flying to the point of forgetting to call for the gear down selection. There was only one checklist in use in the cockpit which was contained in a book and this was being used by the instructor. The instructor testified to have used the checklist for the first six landings. The checklist was not used for the accident landing. None pilot of the pilots reported to have heard the landing gear horn.

Primary Cause

Focus on the instructor’s lapse in checklist usage and the resulting lack of gear down, leading to a critical failure in the landing configuration.Focus on the instructor’s lapse in checklist usage and the resulting lack of gear down, leading to a critical failure in the landing configuration.

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