What must a pilot check before landing to ensure gear is secure?

A pilot must check the gear indicator lights before landing to ensure that the landing gear is secure. The gear indicator lights provide critical information about the position of the landing gear. These lights indicate whether the gear is fully deployed and locked in place, which is essential for a safe landing. If the gear is not down and locked, the risk of a crash increases significantly when the aircraft touches down.

Checking the gear indicator lights helps verify that all three landing gear components—front and main gears—are properly positioned. This process is a standard pre-landing checklist item and crucial for ensuring the aircraft is ready for a safe landing.

While the operational controls, fuel levels, and weight distribution are important aspects of flight safety, they do not directly confirm the status of the landing gear. Therefore, monitoring the gear indicator lights is the most relevant action for confirming that the landing gear is secure before landing.