Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to extended to landing gear before landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that he was completing a local flight and was practicing an instrument approach. During the approach he observed several birds in his intended flight path, which distracted him multiple times, and he forgot to extend the landing gear. Due to the distraction, he also did not notice the landing gear warning horn. The airplane landed with the gear retracted and came to rest upright on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.