Socata TBM700 N850WM accident near Evart, Michigan

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to follow the Before Landing checklist and to extend the landing gear and the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision, which resulted in a gear-up landing.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor and commercial pilot were conducting a local instructional flight as part of an insurance requirement. The flight instructor stated that, after performing pattern work, the pilot performed two landings and that, while performing the approach for a third landing with 0 degree of flaps, the landing gear were not extended at midfield. He stated that this had also happened on the previous two landings. He added that, as the airplane descended into ground effect, he and the pilot realized that the landing gear were not down and "took immediate steps to go around"; however, the airplane contacted the runway surface with the gear up. The pilot stated that he was "distracted" by watching the airplane's airspeed and attitude and that, during touchdown, he heard the airplane contact the runway and that he then applied power to initiate an aborted landing because "there was not much runway left."

Given that the flight instructor had noted that the pilot had not extended the landing gear by midfield on the previous two landings, he should have had a heightened focus on the gear's position during the subsequent/accident landing. Further, the Before Landing checklist stated to extend the landing gear and verify that the landing gear position indicator lights were green. If the pilot had followed the Before Landing checklist or if the flight instructor had been adequately supervising the pilot, the landing gear likely would have been extended upon landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN15LA219 for the full record.