Mobile Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mobile, Alabama 36606
Thursday, October 11, 2012 12:04 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to complete a commercial single-engine land checkride with a designated pilot examiner. During the straight-in landing approach, the pilot selected full flaps and reduced the engine power to idle in order to descend but did not use the before landing checklist and did not extend the landing gear. When the airplane was over the runway threshold, the pilot verified that the throttle was at idle and began to flare. Neither the pilot nor the designated pilot examiner verified that the landing gear was extended before the landing. The airplane landed on the runway without the landing gear extended, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Both pilots reported that they did not hear the landing gear warning horn before landing. According to a mechanic, when the battery switch was turned on during the recovery of the airplane, the landing gear warning horn sounded normally. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, the pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if he had completed the before landing checklist.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to perform the before landing checklist and extend the landing gear before touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the designated pilot examiner’s inadequate remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1204
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Mobile
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36606
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 303815N
Event Location Longitude 0880425W
Event Location Airport Mobile Downtown Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BFM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 26
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1119 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BFM
Elevation of weather observation facility 60
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.26
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30971
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 1 2013 3:28PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4939V
NTSB Number ERA13CA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0420
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 4 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6290
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT TRAINING OF MOBILE LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City MOBILE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36615-1104
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FLIGHT TRAINING OF MOBILE LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City MOBILE
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 36615-1104
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BFM
Departure City Mobile
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BFM
Destination City Mobile
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 20 2012 4:14PM
User who most recently changed record moah-i
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 9618
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --