FAA Cautions on Commercial-off-the-shelf Checklists

The U.S. FAA is warning pilots of the potential risks of using either commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or personally developed checklists. The agency recently issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 17006), noting COTS or personal checklists might not contain all the pertinent information included in the manufacturer’s pilot operating handbook (POH) or airplane flight manual (AFM).

This warning stems from an accident in which a pilot was unable to fully lower the aircraft’s landing gear. The pilot referred to a COTS checklist for the specific type of aircraft, but was only able partially extend the landing gear. The gear collapsed on landing, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.

An accident investigation revealed that the COTS checklist did not match the manufacturer’s checklist regarding landing gear failure and manual extension procedures, the FAA said. “The omission of steps within the COTS checklist significantly contributed to the pilot’s inability to fully extend the aircraft’s landing gear.” The list used by the pilot had also omitted a key caution statement regarding the landing gear, the agency added.

The FAA is thus advising pilots using COTS or personally developed checklists to “meticulously compare them to the manufacturer’s checklist and placards contained in the POH/AFM to confirm they are consistent. This action will ensure the pilot has all pertinent manufacturer’s information during aircraft flight operations.”