Cessna 177RG N2763V accident near Chesterfield, Missouri

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s and student pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was extended before landing.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor and student pilot both reported verifying that the landing gear selector handle was in the down position when the airplane was on final approach. The flight instructor observed that the gear-down indicator light was illuminated, and he saw out the right-side window that the right main landing gear was fully extended. The student pilot noted the landing touchdown was "soft"; however, the landing gear collapsed after touchdown.

Postaccident examination of the landing gear system did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a malfunction of the landing gear extension system that would preclude normal operation. Damage to the nose landing gear doors and the main landing gear strut steps was consistent with the landing gear being fully retracted when the fuselage contacted the runway pavement. The main wheel tires also lacked abnormal wear or abrasion, consistent with the gear being retracted. This evidence suggests that despite recalling that the landing gear was extended, the flight instructor and student failed to ensure that the landing gear was fully extended before landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN20LA095 for the full record.