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LAX91LA277

1991-06-11 · VISALIA, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VIS

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE INSTRUCTOR/PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE FLIGHT AND THE SECOND PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE CHECKLIST AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CREW COORDINATION TO ENSURE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SILENCING OF THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN BY POSITIONING GO THE ENGINE POWER LEVERS.

Factual narrative

THE CERTIFICATED AIRPLANE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT, WAS CONDUCTING COMPANY TRAINING WITH TWO CAPTAIN CANDIDATES. THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND, A DUAL STUDENT, WAS FLYING FROM THE LEFT SEAT. THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED A NO FLAP, SINGLE ENGINE CIRCLING APPROACH, WHICH REQUIRES THAT THE LANDING GEAR NOT BE EXTENDED UNTIL A SAFE LANDING IS ASSURED. THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN DID NOT SOUND DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE FLAPS AND ENGINE POWER LEVERS. THE STUDENT MADE A CHECKLIST CALL OUT AT A TIME IN THE LANDING SEQUENCE THAT OCCURS AFTER THE LANDING GEAR IS LOWERED. NEITHER PILOT RECALLED CALLING FOR THE LANDING GEAR DOWN. THE INSTRUCTOR RECALLED NOTING THAT THE STUDENT DID NOT CALL FOR GEAR DOWN. HE STATED THAT HE WAS GIVING THE STUDENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOWER THE GEAR WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED TO DO SO. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE RUNWAY WITH THE LANDING GEAR UP, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE THREE PILOTS WERE NOT INJURED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91LA277.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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