Probable cause
The pilots’ failure to extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilots’ failure to complete the Before Landing checklist.
NTSB analysis
The captain/check pilot was conducting a scheduled flight check of the first officer. The pilots reported that the approach was uneventful and that they thought that they had completed the Before Landing checklist, which included extending the landing gear and verifying that it was down before landing. However, the airplane landed with the gear up. The airplane had a tricycle landing gear with a fully retractable nose gear and partially retractable main gear. During the landing roll, about a few hundred feet after touchdown on the main gear and as the airplane's nose was lowered, the forward bottom section of the fuselage contacted the runway surface, which resulted in substantial damage. Once the airplane came to a stop, the pilots safely egressed. The pilots reported that they landed the airplane with the landing gear inadvertently retracted.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR15LA202 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 30, 2015
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Kapolei, Hawaii
- Nearest airport
- Kalaeloa (John Rodgers Field) (JRF)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Dusk
Short Bros SD3 60
- N-number
- N221LM
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1987
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Other work use
Other records under this N-number
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.