Beech A36 N136EH accident near New Orleans, Louisiana

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear before touchdown.

NTSB analysis

The accident pilot reported that he extended the airplane’s landing gear and observed three green lights indicating that the gear was extended before landing. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down, bounced, and then settled on the runway again. The pilot said that during the second touchdown “it felt as thought the gear was not sound,” and he tried unsuccessfully to perform a go-around. The airplane skidded to a stop on the runway.

When the accident airplane was removed from the runway after the accident, its landing gear was found in the retracted position, and ground scars on the runway and damage to the airplane’s propellers, landing gear doors, and belly were consistent with the landing gear not being extended before landing. Further, a witness in an airplane flying abeam the accident airplane during its approach to land reported that he did not see its landing gear extended. Postaccident examination revealed no indication of preimpact malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation of the landing gear. Although an intermittent landing gear horn anomaly was noted during postaccident examination, it could not be determined if that anomaly existed before the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN12LA434 for the full record.