Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the fight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot and the flight instructor were returning to the airport at the conclusion of a flight review. While in the airport traffic pattern, the pilot and the flight instructor were having a discussion about practice landings, and during the landing approach, the pilot forgot to extend the landing gear. The airplane subsequently contacted the runway with the landing gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.