Gear-up Landing at KUGN

[Apache123]

Just saw a gear-up at Waukegan. It might have been a diamond or a cessna (those who were around while I was in the pattern). It is sitting on RWY 14/32, and RWY 23/05 is closed due to lights malfunctioning (no runway lights at all).

Anyone flying to Waukegan this evening check Notams in case the airport is closed.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Just saw a gear-up at Waukegan. It might have been a diamond or a cessna (those who were around while I was in the pattern). It is sitting on RWY 14/32, and RWY 23/05 is closed due to lights malfunctioning (no runway lights at all).

What kind of Diamond? Only the TwinStar has retractable gear... They do have several Diamonds of various varieties based there, though, including a pair of TwinStars.

If you were in the pattern - Did you have to go land elsewhere?

 

[Apache123]

What kind of Diamond? Only the TwinStar has retractable gear... They do have several Diamonds of various varieties based there, though, including a pair of TwinStars.

If you were in the pattern - Did you have to go land elsewhere?

I'm pretty sure it was a single, it was getting dark at that point so we could really only see the aircraft's lights. I was #2 behind a cessna and that guy was #3 but a bit further out. After taxiing back all we could see were the aircraft lights sitting still on the runway. The emergency vehicles were pretty quick to respond, though. There was no fire or anything, so (hopefully) it was benign.

My wife was listening on the handheld from our house. She was on edge, as she heard us get cleared to land and then a few moments later the discussion about gear started happening; thinking it was us she was high-stress until I called her.

It's weird seeing these things happen versus reading about them. Hopefully no injury, and it didn't seem much of an event.

 

[DavidWhite]

If the trucks weren't already there he probably forgot to put the handle down.

 

[DavidWhite]

Although if it was a Cessna retract I'd say that a mechanical malfunction is pretty likely too.

 

[GauzeGuy]

Although if it was a Cessna retract I'd say that a mechanical malfunction is pretty likely too.

Voice of experience?

 

[marcoseddi]

Wow where did you land

 

[DavidWhite]

Voice of experience?

Yuuuuuuuuuup.

 

[Apache123]

Wow where did you land

I was ahead of them, fortunately. Some friends are visiting from out of town, and I told them afterwards "We almost had to go land somewhere else and have my wife come pick us up."

 

[gkaiser]

Skill aviation there has a bunch of diamonds...my CFI teaches at Kugn ill have to inquire