Lombardo covers business aviation maintenance-related issues. He is also a writer and on-air reporter for AINtv. He has over 3000 articles published and is the author of several books on aircraft systems for pilots and on the topic of flight simulation.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from the University of Illinois, has taught aviation for over 35 years in industry and as a university professor and academic dean at three different universities. He is also a frequent seminar and after-dinner motivational speaker.&nbsp;
Lombardo holds an A&amp;P Certificate, ATP, CFI and Ground Instructor ratings. He was a corporate pilot and was a research pilot and flight instructor at the University of Illinois. An FAA Safety Counselor for over 25 years, he was one of the original 13 Counselors appointed to the FAA’s Airworthiness Safety Program for maintenance technicians.&nbsp;

Contributor

David A. Lombardo

GATES LEARJET 35A, CANCUN, MEXICO, AUG. 14, 2003–Learjet N403FW, registered to Aircraft Holdings and operated by Air America Flight Services, landed gear up at the Cancun International Airport (CUN) at 10:22 p.m. CDT. The airplane was substantially damaged but there were no injuries to the airline transport rated pilot and copilot, or to the three medical personnel onboard the airplane. It was on a Part 91 repositioning flight operating on an IFR flight plan in VMC. The flight originated at 9:15 p.m. EDT from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fla.
According to Air America Flight Service’s director of operations, who interviewed the crew after the accident, the airplane was cleared for a visual approach to Runway 12 at CUN. The crew told him they did read and comply with the landing checklist and that the landing gear was down and locked as indicated by the three green lights. They could not recall if landing gear extension was verified by visual observation of the landing lights. They also advised him of feeling the fuselage contact the runway surface before the airplane slid approximately 4,000 feet before coming to rest upright.
The nose of the aircraft was subsequently raised and the nosewheel landing gear was observed to be inside the wheelwell. Emergency extension of the landing gear was initiated and the nose landing gear extended and locked; the main landing gear did not extend as the fuselage’s weight on the runway prevented its extension. The airplane was subsequently raised with a crane, at which time the main gear extended and locked into position.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Factual Report: Learjet lands gear up

GATES LEARJET 35A, CANCUN, MEXICO, AUG.

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