Landing gear down or up? Neither the Dutchess or Baron flight manuals offer guidance on gear position for a forced landing, in fact they make no mention of forced landings, though the Baron manual says to pick smooth sod for a gear up. The C404 manual on the other hand does provide guidance by saying land gear down if the surface is smooth and hard, if the terrain is rough or soft land gear up.
As the incident in question was at night I'd opine the pilot made the correct choice to go gear up, not knowing the precise state of the landing surface. A friend did an engine out in an A36 gear down, day time, into a very good farmers field and tore the nose wheel out when it hit a very small ditch, remained upright with little damage, other than nose wheel and attachment.
Which is probably why the A-10 was designed to leave the wheels partially exposed to lessen the damage when landing with them retracted
Copied the DC-3.
The issue with landing gear down on an uneven surface is the loss of nose gear. With smaller sized aircraft, like the BE76, there is a risk of nosing over onto your back
Judd, small aircraft regularly find themselves with their legs in the air, though at inappropriate times. This incident cites braking as the cause, but the nosewheel digging into soft ground can be enough to give the same result, as can landing in standing crops or water. Nor does the King Air manual offer guidance, once again, it makes no mention of forced landings.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-36165824.html