What happened
On February 20, 2016, a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II was conducting a training flight for IR/ME (Instrument Rating/Multi-Engine) certification at the Chełm Airport (EPML). The crew, consisting of an instructor and a student pilot, initiated the landing approach and moved the landing gear lever to the down position. However, the nose landing gear failed to extend.
In response to the malfunction, the crew retracted the gear and successfully executed the emergency gear extension procedure. The aircraft subsequently completed a safe landing on runway 27 at the airport.
The investigation
An investigation was conducted by the operator to determine the cause of the mechanical failure. The examination focused on the hydraulic systems responsible for the landing gear deployment. The investigation established that there was a leak in the hydraulic system used for gear extension.
Findings
Technical analysis revealed a leak in the hydraulic installation caused by a damaged O-ring on the nose landing gear actuator. This seal failure prevented the proper deployment of the nose gear upon the initial command. Following the incident, the faulty O-ring was replaced and the hydraulic fluid was replenished, after which the aircraft was returned to service.