NASA WB-57 gear up landing

[louiechevy]

One OF NASA's WB-57 Canberra's has had a gear up landing during a training flight. Crews ok and it looks like the damage wont be to serious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrzlDfK1fa0

[Johnnybee]

I saw a Canberra do that at Coningsby many many years ago

[Krikkit]

They'd been doing a series of touch-and-go's, I wonder if it's either pilot error or failure.

Either way will they repair it? Even if the damage isn't that bad it must be touch-and-go whether it's worth the expense

[Eric Mc]

It depends on how much use they get out of these three aircraft. Up until about 10 years ago they onlyhad two - and then they took one out of storage at Davis-Monthan and got it airworthy again.

So I'd say there is a chance they might make the effort.

[Simpo Two]

Krikkit said:

They'd been doing a series of touch-and-go's, I wonder if it's either pilot error or failure.

Judging by how carefully he came down I think he knew there were no wheels.

[JoshSm]

Eric Mc said:

then they took one out of storage at Davis-Monthan and got it airworthy again.

I think that was the one involved here.

[louiechevy]

My first thought giving they were doing touch and goes was it was accidental but I agree watching the video that was a very gentle touch down. they've got three and as far as i can find out one of the others is nearing completion of a major over haul and the third is waiting to start one.

[Krikkit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCTicb6of2w

Doesn't sound like they knew of an issue, requested a touch-and-go on the downwind

[Simpo Two]

Krikkit said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCTicb6of2w

Doesn't sound like they knew of an issue, requested a touch-and-go on the downwind

At 2'04" he says 'Gear down'... so presumably had green lights even though they were wrong.

[Tom1312]

Simpo Two said:

Judging by how carefully he came down I think he knew there were no wheels.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was so gentle in the last 10 feet and they were expecting to feel the wheels and didn't understand why it felt weird.

[JoshSm]

Simpo Two said:

Krikkit said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCTicb6of2w

Doesn't sound like they knew of an issue, requested a touch-and-go on the downwind

At 2'04" he says 'Gear down'... so presumably had green lights even though they were wrong.

Seems more likely going through the list by habit rather than thinking it'd worked after checking which would take quite a lot to fail that way. Not fully locked I could maybe understand but to me fully up seems a bit unlikely to show all green.

The lack of noise & drag usually gives a clue of the gear being up too.

Could be a lot of brain fade and not paying proper attention.

[Yertis]

Tom1312 said:

Simpo Two said:

Judging by how carefully he came down I think he knew there were no wheels.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was so gentle in the last 10 feet and they were expecting to feel the wheels and didn't understand why it felt weird.

The Canberra/B57 has a very 'short' undercarriage anyway – even when its fully deployed the fuselage is only a couple of feet off the ground.

[Simpo Two]

JoshSm said:

Seems more likely going through the list by habit rather than thinking it'd worked after checking which would take quite a lot to fail that way. Not fully locked I could maybe understand but to me fully up seems a bit unlikely to show all green.

The lack of noise & drag usually gives a clue of the gear being up too.

Could be a lot of brain fade and not paying proper attention.

Agreed x3.