Piper PA32R N82303 accident near Caddo Mills, Texas

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing and to follow the Before Landing checklist, which resulted in an attempted go-around and subsequent hard landing.

NTSB analysis

The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing flare, the gear-retracted warning horn sounded. The propeller struck the ground, and he applied full throttle and initiated a go-around. The engine began "bucking," so he decided to lower the landing gear and land on the remaining runway. He applied forward pressure to the yoke to level the airplane, but the airplane touched down hard and came to rest upright, off the left side of the runway.

The student reported that he should have verified the configuration of the landing gear before landing. He added that he did not use a prelanding checklist.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA346 for the full record.