Mooney gear up landing. KCLM

[Sue Bon]

1 hour ago, PT20J said:

I once heard from a local controller that called a pilot on final to tell him to check gear down. The pilot landed gear up. Later he said he couldn’t hear the radio call over of the gear horn. When fixated, the brain can tune out a lot if stuff.

 

This is from a long time ago, and not a Mooney, but the pilot is the aircraft owner. In the right seat is a flight instructor and in the back is a buddy filming. None of them reacted to the gear horn. After the "landing" the FI is saying to the pilot, "You didn't put the gear down!"

[carusoam]

Sue,

That is the best example of how the brain doesn’t work!

In that case… three brains all allowed the GU to happen…

There isn’T one word that accurately describes how the brain fails…

But, we use the word ‘distraction’ to describe it the best we can…

 

Check lists work… Gumps… green light on short final….  
 

Best regards,

-a-

[Pinecone]

14 hours ago, PT20J said:

I once heard from a local controller that called a pilot on final to tell him to check gear down. The pilot landed gear up. Later he said he couldn’t hear the radio call over of the gear horn. When fixated, the brain can tune out a lot if stuff.

 

That is why, in the USAF, there is a pilot at the end of the runway, watching.  With a flare gun.   Hard to miss about of red flares over the end of the runway.

[BravoWhiskey]

I can hear my late instructor’s voice… “there are those that have had gear up landings, and those that will”

[Sue Bon]

4 hours ago, Pinecone said:

That is why, in the USAF, there is a pilot at the end of the runway, watching.  With a flare gun.   Hard to miss about of red flares over the end of the runway.

This makes me wonder if a visual cue, linked to the gear horn, might reduce gear up landings. The GR UNSAFE light might not be an ideal solution, but if it lit red at the same time the gear horn went off, it would certainly direct my attention to the gear handle itself.

[Hank]

11 minutes ago, Sue Bon said:

This makes me wonder if a visual cue, linked to the gear horn, might reduce gear up landings. The GR UNSAFE light might not be an ideal solution, but if it lit red at the same time the gear horn went off, it would certainly direct my attention to the gear handle itself.

The Gear Unsafe light should be lit the entire time that your gear is not fully extended and locked.

Many of us simply check the gear multiple times--I put it down and check the green light, then check the light again on base or at breakout, then confirm the floor indicator on short final. And sometimes quickly confirm the green light above the runway . . . .

[Pinecone]

Human factors tells us a light that is on most of the time, gets ignored.

Same with sounds.  

[Sue Bon]

I also check the green lights multiple times. Like, three or four times - first after gear down and definitely on short final. I can be a bit of a Nervous Nelly.... But I think that was good for the one time that the gear didn't actually extend and I had to start problem solving. 

[kortopates]

Here is technology solution that really solves the issue, the P2 Audio Advisory system. It says in plain English to Check gear slowing below a certain airspeed and not every time, only when it detects the gear is not down:

https://sarasotaavionics.com/avionics/audio-advisory-system

Unfortunately, they're not currently available and P2 is awaiting FAA approval for their next generation product. 

[Fly Boomer]

26 minutes ago, kortopates said:

Here is technology solution that really solves the issue,

Is this the gizmo old-timers called "Bitchin' Betty"?

[kortopates]

23 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

Is this the gizmo old-timers called "Bitchin' Betty"?

Bitchin Betty is a generic name for any audio warning - for which there are many. 

The P2 is a modern technology solution; apparently not modern enough since they are seeking approval for their next generation unit now. These things work really well. Something that says check gear on every landing regardless of gear position looses effectiveness in a couple hours, but something that says check gear only when your gear isn't yet down gets your attention right away.

Edited July 27, 2022 by kortopates

[carusoam]

Our current aural warnings leave too much interpretation to the busy pilot….

Solid tone vs. broken tone…

And of course… while landing, you are expecting to hear and ignore the stall warning for a moment….

 

+1 For spoken English words in place of tones…

 

PP thoughts only, not a CFI…

Best regards,

-a-