Texas television channel KXAS-TV (NBC5) aired live pictures of a dramatic wheels-up landing late yesterday after a pilot realised he had landing gear problems mid-flight and radioed the tower.
After circling several times, the Beech 65 Travel Air twin piston was coming in to land at Arlington municipal airport at around 16:49 on Sunday when the pilot started the checklist for a gears-up landing. The undercarriage can be seen only partially extended in the video clip of the incident (below).
The pilot shut down both of the Lycoming O&VO-360 engines and feathered the propellors to avoid contact with the ground. Pilot and co-pilot also unsecured the doors, lest the impact buckled the fuselage, inhibiting exit. General aviation experts note that the pilot forgot, however, on part of teh checklist; to switch off the master electric switch as the beacon on the top of the fuselage is blinking.
As the aircraft touched the runway, the gear collapsed, the nose went down and the Beechcraft slid on its belly and stopped, authorities say.
The 1958 model Beech 95 is registered to a Clyde Frederickson Jr of Cedar Hill, Texas, who also has another two of the type.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
