Light Sport Aircraft
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10; Flight Crew Total 1130; Flight Crew Type 125
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Gear Up Landing
General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
Gear-up landing on takeoff; I noticed that my airspeed indicator was inoperative. I later learned that the pitot tube was bent off-axis. I continued my flight since I'd had similar situations with a previous aircraft due to mud-daubers. I have 125 hours and more than 150 landings in type; but the MAC 145 is a conventional gear aircraft with fairly high wing loading and sinks quickly at slow speeds. I also wheel-land the aircraft and have to pay close attention to airspeed and attitude on short final. That caused me to over-fixate on speed and attitude on my approach to the extent that I neglected to extend the gear. I also ignored the gear-down panel lights. The wheel landing was made with some throttle; so the gear-up warning horn didn't sound. The landing would have been a perfect greaser. Except for the prop; there was very little exterior damage. The aircraft settled onto the ground very slowly; straight and level; and skidded straight down the centerline balanced on the tailwheel; air inlet box and exhaust pipes. The air scoop and center belly panels were the only damaged sheet metal components. The wings never touched the ground; there was no damage to the runway and I didn't hit anything. There were no injuries. Several neighbors helped lift the plane. I dropped and locked the gear; and we pushed it back to my hangar. Subsequent inspection with my A&P found no damage to structural elements under the belly-skins. Corrective actions include closer attention to my checklist should the airspeed indicator situation occur again and slowing my touchdown speed to arm the gear-up horn.
A distracted MAC 145 pilot landed gear up blaming the lack of airspeed indication and ignored the gear down lights but also did not have a gear horn warning because of high throttle setting.