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Quite a few learning points from this incident


Tommy

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I remember in my initial Mooney training my CFII pulled the gear breaker while I was distracted to see if I would proceed to land. I lowered the gear and noticed there was no gear down light so I cycled the gear again but nothing. I then noticed the breaker. I look at my CFI a little perplexed and he just smiled;  he was pleased that I caught it. Lesson #1: just because the gear handle is down doesn't mean the gear actually is. Lesson #2: always trust the gear horn!

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1 hour ago, kortopates said:

I’ve heard of pilots putting the gear down after the gear up landing. Doesn’t really help with the FAA nor the insurance company.

Whaaat? It doesn't raise the plane up? :P

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14 hours ago, steingar said:

Those that have and those that will...

I do not subscribe to that philosophy with respect to gear up landings.  If you follow GUMPS and confirm that the gear are extended, this should not happen.  There is always the possibility of a mechanical malfunction that also keeps the manual gear extension from working, but that accounts for a small fraction of gear up landings. 

I check the "football" at least twice to confirm the gear are down, including as part of my "centerline" check on final.       

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1 hour ago, Ftlausa said:

I do not subscribe to that philosophy with respect to gear up landings.  If you follow GUMPS and confirm that the gear are extended, this should not happen.  There is always the possibility of a mechanical malfunction that also keeps the manual gear extension from working, but that accounts for a small fraction of gear up landings. 

I check the "football" at least twice to confirm the gear are down, including as part of my "centerline" check on final.       

I move the switch once, check switch position and lights twice, and confirm with the floor indicator one time on final. But we are all human, all make mistakes and can all be distracted . . . . So far, so good!  :)

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On 1/15/2018 at 8:46 AM, kevinw said:

Lesson #1: just because the gear handle is down doesn't mean the gear actually is. Lesson #2: always trust the gear horn!

With the Johnson Bar if the handle is down, the gear is up. When the handle is up, the gear is down. :P

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20 minutes ago, Bartman said:
  • Gear down
  • Undercarriage verified
  • Make sure the gear is down
  • Put your hand on the gear switch and look at it again 
  • Surely you put the gear down

You are absolutely correct.  In our planes everything else will work itself out as long as the ear is down for landing.

When I was first told about GUMP (no not Forest) I immediately figured G was for gear.:)

Of course the S could be "See I did put the gear down."

 

 

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4 hours ago, Ftlausa said:

I do not subscribe to that philosophy with respect to gear up landings.  If you follow GUMPS and confirm that the gear are extended, this should not happen.  There is always the possibility of a mechanical malfunction that also keeps the manual gear extension from working, but that accounts for a small fraction of gear up landings. 

I check the "football" at least twice to confirm the gear are down, including as part of my "centerline" check on final.       

I give you my most solemn promise that I could distract you badly enough to make you forget the gear.  And I don't hold a patch on your average 4 year old.

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Just now, steingar said:

I give you my most solemn promise that I could distract you badly enough to make you forget the gear.  And I don't hold a patch on your average 4 year old.

I can give you my most solemn promise that if thought you were being that successful in distracting me, I would hit the "isolate" button on the audio panel, or throw you out of the airplane. 

You can ask my current wife about the first of those options, and my ex-wife about the other.    

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6 hours ago, Ftlausa said:

I can give you my most solemn promise that if thought you were being that successful in distracting me, I would hit the "isolate" button on the audio panel, or throw you out of the airplane. 

You can ask my current wife about the first of those options, and my ex-wife about the other.    

The point, oh arrogant macho man, is that humans are by nature distractable. And if you really believe you are immune I could commit suicide by climbing to your ego and leap down to your IQ.

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It only took me 15 years and about 2700 hours of Mooney ownership before I joined the club. 

My advice to those who don't believe it could happen to them is that you need to get a Cirrus or a nice Cherokee 'cause you're cruising for a bruising.

The cliche/slogan should be taken very seriously. 

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4 hours ago, Bob_Belville said:

It only took me 15 years and about 2700 hours of Mooney ownership before I joined the club. 

My advice to those who don't believe it could happen to them is that you need to get a Cirrus or a nice Cherokee 'cause you're cruising for a bruising.

The cliche/slogan should be taken very seriously. 

OK.  I still have 1700 hours to go then.   Whew!!!

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On 1/15/2018 at 8:03 PM, steingar said:

Those that have and those that will...

I have always considered this nonsensical saw to be an encouragement (and reminder) not to have a GU.

Of course, I may have hexed myself with this reply :wacko:

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On 1/16/2018 at 11:44 AM, Ftlausa said:

I do not subscribe to that philosophy with respect to gear up landings.  If you follow GUMPS and confirm that the gear are extended, this should not happen.  There is always the possibility of a mechanical malfunction that also keeps the manual gear extension from working, but that accounts for a small fraction of gear up landings. 

I check the "football" at least twice to confirm the gear are down, including as part of my "centerline" check on final.       

It's distraction that gets people and upsets their process. It won't happen to everyone, but it will happen to a lot of people that think it will never happen to them.  

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