NASA · Aviation Safety Reporting System
Lancair pilot reported executing a go-around after realizing the gear was not down.
What is ASRS?
The Aviation Safety Reporting System is NASA's voluntary, confidential, non- punitive incident-reporting system, established 1976. Pilots, controllers, dispatchers, and maintenance technicians file reports describing safety- relevant events. NASA de-identifies every report before adding it to the public database. Reports are not investigated by NASA, the FAA, or the NTSB — they represent the reporter's perspective.
Pilot narratives
Verbatim from the de-identified NASA record. First-person account by the
reporter. NASA strips identifying details (names, company, specific time);
anonymization placeholders are ZZZ,
X, Y.
Reporter 1
Flight was a personal flight conducted under Part 91. Both pilots are ATP Rated. An "overhead" pattern to runway XX at ZZZ was executed. During the downwind leg, landing gear was selected down at mid-field and flaps abeam the touchdown point. I flew the base to final with the second pilot performing pilot not-flying duties. During the final turn, the second pilot was not sure if the gear lights were illuminated. They leaned forward and shaded the gear lights in an attempt to verify the gear position, then called "gear down and green". In actuality, the gear were still retracted and the sun reflecting on the lights caused them to appear as faint green lights. The landing was aborted when the tail tie- down dragged on the runway. A go-around was accomplished and the gear was extended on downwind with the alternate gear extension procedure and a normal landing was accomplished.
Reporter 2
A visual pattern to runway XX at ZZZ was executed. During the downwind leg, landing gear was selected down at mid-field and flaps abeam the touchdown point per normal procedures. I was the second pilot performing pilot not-flying duties. During the final turn, during final checklist procedures, I was not sure if the gear lights were illuminated. I leaned forward and shaded the gear lights in an attempt to verify the gear position. There was a direct glare overhead and the green gear lights appeared to be lit with no red in transit light being lit. I called "gear down and green". In actuality, although the gear handle was actuated, the gear did not extend. The landing was aborted when the tail tie- down dragged on the runway. A go-around was successfully executed. During go-around checklist it was realized that the gear didn't extend. Gear was cycled and again did not extend. The emergency gear extension procedure was accomplished successfully. The checklist was run and a safe landing was accomplished. This could have been avoided had I verified with other crew member that the gear lights were illuminated.
NASA classification — Anomalies
- Aircraft Equipment Problem
- Ground Event / Encounter
NASA classification — Assessments
- Contributing Factors / Situations
- Aircraft · Environment - Non Weather Related · Human Factors · Procedure · Weather
- Primary Problem
- Aircraft
ASRS reports are voluntarily submitted, de-identified by NASA, and represent the reporter's perspective. The presence of reports on a topic cannot be used to infer prevalence in the National Airspace System. The authoritative source is the NASA ASRS Database Online at asrs.arc.nasa.gov ↗.