NTSB Factual Report

On April 20, 2002, at 1220 eastern daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N734VS, was substantially damaged while landing at the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed between the Genesee County Airport (GVQ), Batavia, New York, and Linden, New Jersey. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he departed about 1050 and flew direct to Linden. The visibility en route was "good," except for a few locations in New Jersey, where scattered rain showers had developed. While approaching Linden, the pilot saw that a rain shower was over the airport, which made it difficult to see. When he was about 3 miles from the airport, he reported to air traffic control that he had the airport in sight, he cancelled his IFR flight plan, and continued for a visual approach.

The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 27, extended full flaps, and flew the final approach at 90 knots. The pilot heard the sound of a horn as he flared for landing, and assumed it was the stall warning horn. However, as the airplane touched down, the pilot realized the landing gear was not extended. The propeller struck the ground, and the airplane slid to a stop on the runway.

A witness reported that he was in the fixed base operator (FBO) office when he first observed the airplane turning onto the final approach leg of the traffic pattern for runway 27, without its landing gear extended. At the same time, a line service employee attempted to contact the pilot over the Unicom frequency to inform the pilot that his gear was not extended. No response was received from the airplane, and the witness observed the airplane land with its gear up, and skid down the runway to a stop.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, the landing gear selector was observed in the "up" position, and substantial damage was observed to the right wing rib. Damage was also observed to the underside of the fuselage, the propeller, and the right wingtip and aileron. During the examination, the airplane was placed on a jack, the landing gear was manually extended, and no mechanical deficiencies were observed.

According to the Cessna P210N Pilot Operating Handbook, items 3 and 4 in the BEFORE LANDING checklist are:

3. Landing Gear - EXTENDED (below 165 KIAS)

4. Landing Gear - CHECK (observe main gear down and green indicator light on)

The pilot reported 1,144 hours of total flight experience, 523 of which were in make and model.

Weather reported at Newark International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, 5 miles to the northeast, at 1212, included winds from 270 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 3/4 mile, and broken clouds at 2,500 feet. Additionally, a thunderstorm was reported at the airport, with cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing.