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GAA17CA031

2016-10-15 · Burnet, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BMQ

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s decision to continue the unstabilized approach and his failure to extend the landing gear before landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot of a high performance complex airplane reported that during his fourth engine out practice landing, the airplane was "high and fast". He further reported that he wanted to keep the training realistic and elected not to go-around. The pilot continued the approach, but reported that he "felt behind the airplane." The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted, skidded off the runway to the left, and impacted a runway light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot of a high-performance, complex airplane reported that, during his fourth engine-out practice landing, the airplane was "high and fast." He further reported that he wanted to keep the training realistic and chose not to go around. The pilot continued the approach but reported that he "felt behind the airplane." The airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted, skidded off the runway to the left, and impacted a runway light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Gear extension and retract sys-Not used/operated - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Runway/taxi/approach light-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_GAA17CA031.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (go-around, unstabilized approach). All research papers