Amateur/Home Built/Experimental
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4; Flight Crew Total 1182; Flight Crew Type 1000
Situational Awareness; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Gear Up Landing; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors
Aircraft is a kit built Europa XS with a single fuselage monowheel and outrigger wheels under each wing. The mainwheel and outriggers are retractable and controlled mechanically by an operating lever in the cockpit. The flaps are linked to the landing gear; they are fully down with the gear down and fully up with the gear up. The aircraft is a tailwheel plane (Vso = 42 kts; Vs1 = 50 kts). The pilot is the aircraft builder. Total time on the aircraft is 998 hours; all flown by the pilot. Pilot was only soul on board.Approximately 5 miles out; I advised on CTAF that I was entering left crosswind for left downwind for Runway XX. No other aircraft were in the pattern at that time. Advised turning onto left downwind for Runway XX on CTAF. At the Runway XX numbers approximately; I reduced power to descend for the approach. When I reduced power at that point; I normally manually lower the landing gear which is on a swing arm linkage. However; at this moment; I was nearly hit by a vulture which happened to be at that altitude. It was a very close miss and I had to take avoiding action. I believe that this distraction was the reason that I missed my normal action of lowering the gear. I then advised turning onto left base for Runway XX. Then advised turning onto final for Runway XX. There were 2 aircraft waiting for take-off as I approached. As I flared for landing; the aircraft landed heavily and I found that the gear had not been lowered; the aircraft suffered a corresponding prop strike and the engine stopped. Aircraft came to a stop on the runway. Other than the prop strike; there does not seem to be other significant damage since the stowed mainwheel on the Europa protrudes below the fuselage for approximately half its diameter (Somewhat similar to a DC3). There were no injuries and no leaks of fuel or oil. RECOMMENDATION: Aircraft should be fitted with an alarm such that when the airspeed falls below 65 knots; an audible alert is sounded to remind pilot to lower the landing gear.
Europa XS pilot reported a gear up landing as a result of being distracted by a near bird strike and the lack of a landing gear warning system.