What happened
On February 5, 2014, a Socata TB-21 departed from Warsaw-Babice Airport (EPBC). Following takeoff, the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear. Although the landing gear lever was moved to the up position, the cockpit indicator continued to display a "down and locked" status.
This erroneous indication persisted throughout the entire flight, regardless of the physical position of the landing gear lever. Despite the misleading cockpit signal, the landing gear was actually retracted and secured for the duration of the flight. Before arriving at Wrocław-Strachowice Airport (EPWR), the pilot notified air traffic control regarding the landing gear indication issue. To ensure safety, the pilot performed a low-level pass to visually confirm the gear's position before proceeding to land. The aircraft landed at Wrocław-Strachowice without further incident, supported by the assistance of emergency services.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator's internal commission, focused on determining why the cockpit instrumentation failed to reflect the actual state of the landing gear. The examination of the aircraft's systems revealed that the error was not mechanical in terms of the gear's physical movement, but rather an electrical/sensor failure.
Findings
- The investigation established that the failure of the landing gear lock indicator switch was the direct cause of the incident, leading to the incorrect cockpit signal.