** The landing gear handle in Melmoth 2 is
centered except when the gear is in transit
— so it gives no clue of the gear's current
position.**
Key Takeaways:
The author recounts a past gear-up landing and a recent near miss decades later, emphasizing the inherent fallibility of a pilot's mind and how easily critical information can be misinterpreted or overlooked.
The near-miss was specifically caused by his incorrect interpretation of an "analog" gear position indicator, where he checked for the completion of the gear cycle rather than consciously recognizing the 'up' or 'down' status.
He implemented several safety improvements, including color-coding the gear indicator, adding a pre-landing checklist to the panel, and installing a nosewheel viewing window, but reflects on the ongoing challenge of preventing future, different "stupid mistakes."
Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.
