REFLECTOR: N992PC Gear up landing

[Scott Baker]

Hi Paul,
Quoting Forrest Gump ... "sh_t happens".  Shake it off - it happens to the
best.  Re: engine tear-down ... this is not normally needed with a wooden
propeller since there isn't a "sudden" stoppage.  Lycoming states that the
engine must be torn down for inspection.  If you do this, I doubt that
anything adverse will be found.  Your choice.  If the insurance will cover
it, why not have the work done - Lycon's at Visalia, and they (I'm sure)
will do a good job of looking things over.  Throw the AV-17 in the trash ...
good idea, poor company support (Are they still in business?).  Be sure to
install a gear warning system that "blasts" the message "gear unsafe".  Let
us know if we can help with the propeller repairs.
Best regards,
Scott B.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Calhoun" <paul at med-amb.org>
To: "'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 6:43 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR: N992PC Gear up landing


>
> Yesterday afternoon I let down the Velocity community by not letting
> down my landing gear. I owe each of you on the Reflector so much through
> the great technical and moral support you have given so it grieves me to
> detract from our credibility with another "incident".
>
> I was doing touch and goes in my new Velocity and was hugely surprised
> on the second one to find myself sinking lower and lower on the runway.
> Only after the contact with the tarmac did it dawn on me that the gear
> lever was still in the up position. I was amazed at how "soft" the
> landing was and how little damage it did to the underside. The MT prop
> is considerably shorter and there is a 3 x 4 foot scrape underneath but
> the nose gear doors are unscathed. 28R has a new white stripe down the
> middle.
>
> We lifted it up and the gear nicely lowered and locked so that it was an
> easy matter to tug the plane back to its hanger. No oil or gas leaks.
>
> So how did it happen? I installed an AV - 17 warning system which orally
> communicates a number of warnings including gear up danger. The system
> was giving a steady stream of false warnings from the first time we flew
> so I pulled the CB on the system with the note to track down the problem
> at some latter time. In short, there was no functioning stall warning
> system in place.
> Abeam the end of the runway I got distracted by my low  altitude and did
> not go through the GUMP exercise. Nor did I double check for two greens
> on final. All totally pilot error due to lack of adhering to routine
> flight systems and the arrogance of believing I could do without a stall
> warning system precisely at the time I needed it most due to getting
> used to a new plane and having low recent hours. I have flown retracts
> for 15 years without incidents I told myself.
>
> The emotional pain of the loss is considerable. The humiliation is
> tough. After 5 years of steady labor, payoff was within reach. Now some
> further delay. Again I deeply apologize to you the community.
>
> I suppose a Catto prop might be in order while I wait for the MT repair.
> Also need to get up to speed on what steps need to be taken with
> suddenly stopped engines from wooden prop strikes. The FAA manual on
> maintenance mandate very extensive (Draconian?) steps.
>
> Paul Calhoun
> N992PC IO540 XLRG, 10 hours on the engine.
>
>
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