What happened
On November 15, 2025, a Tecnam P2008, registration YR-8901, was conducting a training flight at Timișești–Dumbrava Aerodrome in Neamț County. The flight began normally with two successful takeoff and landing exercises. However, following the second takeoff, an observer on the ground noticed that the right main landing gear was hanging loosely. After notifying the pilot via telephone, emergency services were alerted.
The pilot continued flying for approximately 20 minutes to wait for emergency responders to arrive at the aerodrome. Once the fire brigade and ambulance were on site, the pilot initiated an emergency landing procedure, attempting to land primarily on the left main gear. During the landing roll, the aircraft struck the ground with the right side nearly simultaneously with the left. This caused the aircraft to rotate; during the subsequent taxiing, the left main wheel detached entirely. The nose gear also broke upon impact. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the maintenance history of the aircraft. It was established that one week prior to the incident, the pilot had performed maintenance tasks involving the removal of the main landing gear wheel fairings. This process required removing the wheel axle, which is secured to the steel leaf spring by four bolts, washers, and nuts.
The investigation found that the reinstallation procedure was not completed according to maintenance requirements. Specifically, the pilot failed to install the necessary washers and nuts. The aircraft had not flown between the maintenance work on November 8 and the incident on November 15. During pre-flight inspections on the day of the accident, the pilot did not notice that the securing components for the wheel axle were missing.
Findings
- Incomplete maintenance due to the omission of washers and nuts during the reinstallation of the wheel axle.
- The right main gear detached from its support during flight, remaining attached only by the hydraulic brake line.
- Human error caused by potential distractions or interruptions during the maintenance process, leading to an unfinished task.
- The pilot's pre-flight inspection failed to detect the missing hardware.