| Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation. Because occurrence briefs are not investigations under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003, the information in them is de-identified. |
What happened
On 11 September 2024, at 0935 local time, a Cessna 210N was conducting a non‑scheduled passenger transport charter to Gove Aerodrome, Northern Territory. The pilot, along with 3 passengers, were on board.
There were several aircraft in the circuit at Gove Aerodrome. The pilot of the Cessna broadcast their intention to join a 5 NM final approach for runway 13 and to follow a Beech Baron 58 already in the circuit. An Embraer ERJ 190, behind the Cessna, broadcast their intention to also join a 5 NM final approach for runway 13 and requested distance to run and time of arrival for the Cessna, which the pilot of the Cessna provided. The Cessna joined a 5 NM final approach and the pilot conducted the pre-landing checklist, however, in order to expedite their arrival and ensure they were clear of the runway before the Embraer arrived, the pilot delayed extending the landing gear to maintain a faster approach speed.
The Cessna was on a 1 NM final for runway 13 when the Beech Baron 58 landed and vacated the runway. Shortly after, the crew of the Embraer broadcast that they were on a 3 NM final. Now on short final, the pilot of the Cessna extended the flaps to full and reduced power, however they had not completed the pre-landing checklist by extending the landing gear. The pilot reported that they were focused on landing and vacating the runway prior to the Embraer landing to avoid the Embraer needing to conduct a missed approach. During the landing flare, the pilot of the Cessna noticed that the landing gear handle was still in the up position, however the aircraft landed a moment later with the wheels retracted. The pilot reported that they had not heard the landing gear warning horn activate during the landing flare.
The aircraft sustained minor damage to the propellor and underside of the fuselage (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Aircraft damage
Source: Supplied
The pilot reported they were experiencing a high level of non-work-related distractions at the time that may have also contributed to the incident.
Safety message
It is important for pilots to manage distractions and ensure all normal pre-landing checklists are completed.
Distractions can often lead to human error and routine tasks such as selecting the landing gear being unintentionally omitted. Distractions are a normal part of everyday flying, with 13% of accidents and incidents associated with pilot distraction occurring during the approach phase of flight, as found in the ATSB research report, Dangerous distraction (B2004/0324).
Pilots must ensure that all pre-landing checklists are carried out systematically as detailed in the flight manual. If interrupted, it is best practice to start again from the beginning to ensure that nothing is missed.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.