Gear Emergencies

I’ve really only had one landing-gear-related situation in many years of flying retractables. In that event, a brand-new gear motor—installed at annual—failed to extend the gear while airborne after several successful tests on jacks. After an uneventful landing, the motor was repaired and there were no further issues with that airplane or its landing gear system. Between the failure and the uneventful landing, however, the cockpit was a bit busy. Fortunately, the right-seater was a rated pilot and mechanic.

Key Takeaways:

• Upon a landing gear extension failure, prioritize slowing the aircraft, establishing a holding pattern, and conducting preliminary checks (circuit breakers, indicators, visual inspection) before engaging the emergency checklist.
• Execute the emergency checklist methodically, taking time to perform each step, then pausing to re-evaluate the aircraft's flight status and surroundings (i.e., "fly the airplane"). This is especially crucial during manual extension efforts.
• Understand your aircraft's specific landing gear system and its manual extension procedures. The ultimate objective is a controlled landing with minimal damage and injury, even if a gear-up landing becomes necessary after all troubleshooting efforts.

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