SOCATA TBM 700
Memphis, TN — January 26, 2010
Event Information
| Date | January 26, 2010 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA132 |
| Event ID | 20100204X61041 |
| Location | Memphis, TN |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 35.20028, -90.05222 |
| Airport | General Dewitt Spain |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | SOCATA |
| Model | TBM 700 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DUSK |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing.
Full Narrative
The pilot stated that he was approaching his destination airport near dusk, and wanted to land before it was dark. The pilot forgot to lower the landing gear and the airplane touched down with the landing gear in the retracted position, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage skin, stringers, and wing attach fittings. The airplane was equipped with a landing gear configuration warning, which activated during landing; however, the pilot mistook it for a different warning indicator. The pilot further stated that he normally used a pre-landing checklist, but was distracted by the deteriorating weather conditions and did not utilize it. The pilot reported 3,079 hours of total flight experience, which included 50 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.