Due to the lack of buffer damper, the overload is large and energy absorption efficiency is low during landing impact for skid type landing gear whose buffer characteristics are sensitive to the stiffness of landing gear structure. There is a difficulty to analyze its landing impact and dynamic loads in engineering. In this paper, the simulation model of a skid landing gear is established and analyzed by nonlinear finite element method providing primary inputs for structural optimization and strength analysis. The results show that during landing the vertical overload factor is large, 3.63 for the case of limit work and 3.72 for the case of reserve work respectively; the landing impact energy is absorbed through structural deformation of the skid landing gear, and the ratio of vertical to lateral deformation energy is more than 7:1. When the work of landing exceeds 810 J, the growth rate of landing impact load with vertical displacement slows down and the buffer efficiency is improved owing to the energy consuming effect of irrecoverable plastic deformation of landing gear. This feature can be utilized in the design of this type of landing gear to get higher structural utilization efficiency and reduce weight.