<< >> NASA ASRS Report 385204, November 1997

Small aircraft aircraft on approach hit propellers when close to ground, instructor pilot took control and did go around.

Attributes
ACN	385204
Time
Date	199711
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : f54
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2 agl bound upper : 2
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	385204
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 270 flight time type : 12
ASRS Report	385203
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While doing touch and goes my student and I noticed that each time turned on final we were unable to see the 3 greens of the landing gear, due to the glare of the sun. In order to make sure we had 3 greens on the landing gear I had to physically shield the lights from the sun and only then we were able to determine if we had the 3 greens. On the third landing which was to be a full stop my student turned the airplane onto final and as I shielded the 3 greens from the sun, and did not see the 3 greens. I then took controls from my student and immediately initiated a go around. As the airplane was already in a descent it carried on to descent before it started to climb. It was at this time when I heard a scraping sound. Knowing it was most likely the propellers hitting the runway I was not sure if there was any other damage to the airplane. As the airplane started its climb I got the airplane back into the traffic pattern and proceeded to contact unicom and for them to contact the flight school to get someone out to the ramp to make sure the gear was down and there was no damage. Both unicom and the flight school said that everything seemed to be normal. I then flew the airplane around and proceeded to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT ON APCH HIT PROPS WHEN CLOSE TO GND, INSTRUCTOR PLT TOOK CTL AND DID GAR.

Narrative: WHILE DOING TOUCH AND GOES MY STUDENT AND I NOTICED THAT EACH TIME TURNED ON FINAL WE WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE 3 GREENS OF THE LNDG GEAR, DUE TO THE GLARE OF THE SUN. IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE HAD 3 GREENS ON THE LNDG GEAR I HAD TO PHYSICALLY SHIELD THE LIGHTS FROM THE SUN AND ONLY THEN WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF WE HAD THE 3 GREENS. ON THE THIRD LNDG WHICH WAS TO BE A FULL STOP MY STUDENT TURNED THE AIRPLANE ONTO FINAL AND AS I SHIELDED THE 3 GREENS FROM THE SUN, AND DID NOT SEE THE 3 GREENS. I THEN TOOK CTLS FROM MY STUDENT AND IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A GAR. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ALREADY IN A DSCNT IT CARRIED ON TO DSCNT BEFORE IT STARTED TO CLB. IT WAS AT THIS TIME WHEN I HEARD A SCRAPING SOUND. KNOWING IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE PROPS HITTING THE RWY I WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. AS THE AIRPLANE STARTED ITS CLB I GOT THE AIRPLANE BACK INTO THE TFC PATTERN AND PROCEEDED TO CONTACT UNICOM AND FOR THEM TO CONTACT THE FLT SCHOOL TO GET SOMEONE OUT TO THE RAMP TO MAKE SURE THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. BOTH UNICOM AND THE FLT SCHOOL SAID THAT EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE NORMAL. I THEN FLEW THE AIRPLANE AROUND AND PROCEEDED TO LAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.