What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on null involved a aircraft, registration D-CAVA, at IE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accidental movement of the landing gear lever to the UP position during the landing roll, compounded by a loss of task focus following a stressful approach and the fact that the interlock system was not engaged due to insufficient weight on the wheels at that speed.

Nose gear collapse during landing roll at Dublin Airport

A cargo flight involving a Fairchild-SA227AC Metro III experienced a nose wheel collapse after the landing gear selector was accidentally moved to the UP position.

What happened

On 7 March 2013, a FAIRCHILD - SA227AC Metro III, registration D-CAVA, was operating a cargo flight from Manston International Airport, UK, to Dublin Airport. The flight arrived during a period of low visibility and fog, necessitating a CAT 1 approach. After a successful touchdown on Runway 10, the crew began the landing roll and proceeded with the "Leaving the Runway" checklist.

During the deceleration phase, while the aircraft was still traveling at a speed below 90 knots, the landing gear selector was inadvertently moved to the UP position. Although the crew immediately recognized the error and returned the lever to the DOWN position, the nose-wheel had already begun to retract. This caused the nose gear to collapse, leading both propellers to strike the runway surface. The aircraft came to a halt on the runway, blocking traffic. There were 0 injuries to the two crew members, and no fire was reported.

The investigation

The AAIU examined the aircraft's mechanical systems and the cockpit environment. Investigators tested the landing gear interlock system and found it to be fully functional and capable of preventing gear retraction when weight is present on the wheels. Maintenance records for the aircraft showed no prior issues.

Regarding the cockpit layout, the investigation reviewed the pedestal ergonomics. While the landing gear, flap, and booster pump selectors are located in the same general area, the investigation found that the physical geometry and placement of the levers were distinct enough that no obvious visual mis-cueing was identified as the primary cause of the error.

Findings

The aircraft was operating in challenging weather conditions with low visibility and fog.
The landing gear interlock system failed to prevent the retraction because the aircraft's speed at the time of the error provided enough lift to reduce the effective weight on the wheels, rendering the protection inactive.
The pilot flying experienced significant stress and tension during the approach due to the difficult weather conditions.
The primary cause of the accident was the inadvertent movement of the landing gear selector to the UP position during the landing roll.
A reduction in task focus, following the relief of stress after a difficult landing, likely contributed to the pilot're error during the post-landing checklist.