Miscommunication led plane to land in the Sault without landing gear deployed

The Transport Safety Board of Canada has concluded its investigation into a May 2 incident in Sault Ste. Marie that saw the pilot of a training flight land without the plane's landing gear deployed. (Image from Transport Safety Board of Canada)

Sudbury -

The Transport Safety Board of Canada has concluded its investigation into a May 2 incident in Sault Ste. Marie that saw the pilot of a training flight land without the plane's landing gear deployed.

While there were no injuries, the bottom of the plane received significant damage.

Accompanied by a fully qualified pilot who was giving instruction, the training pilot was to conduct three circuits, before conducting a full landing on the third circuit.

The instructor pilot called out the 'gear down, landing checks' instruction to the pilot being trained during the final circuit.

However, the instructor then told the pilot being trained to do a manoeuvre for "a longer final approach," the report into the incident said.

The instructor then "began a verbal instruction explaining the method of calculating the appropriate approach path for a flapless landing," the report said.

However, the instructor didn't repeat the 'gear down, landing checks' instruction as the plane got into position to land.

"At approximately 12:28, the aircraft landed on the centreline of Runway 12 with the landing gear retracted," the report said.

"The aircraft came to a stop on the runway surface with the right wingtip float resting on the ground. There was significant damage to the belly of the aircraft and minor damage to each wingtip float."

The plane involved in the incident can land on water or a runway, and the warning indicator alerting the pilot that the landing gear wasn't deployed doesn't go off when the switch is set to sea.

While the switch was set to land on the runway, the indicator sometimes doesn't go off if the pilot was attempting a flapless landing, as was the case in this incident.

"The approach continued on a typical profile for the flapless configuration," the report said. "The landing gear aural warning did not activate during the approach given the flapless configuration and throttle lever positions."

The investigation concluded that the challenges of providing instruction while also going through required checklists caused the crash.

"Flight crews are reminded to exercise additional vigilance during airborne training flights, given the significant potential for distraction from normal cockpit duties while instruction is taking place," the report concluded.

Read the full report here.