What happened
On May 16, 2006, a PIPER PA-34-200, registration EC-HZM, was conducting a dual-instruction flight at Girona Airport. The flight, operated by Top Fly, involved an instructor and a student pilot performing simulated engine failure maneuvers. After completing several IFR maneuvers and a missed approach, the crew entered the right-hand pattern for runway 20 to practice a single-engine landing. Due to the need to maintain separation from preceding heavy traffic, the crew had to extend their downwind leg.
During the final approach, the aircraft was configured for landing without flaps. Upon touchdown, the landing gear legs collapsed, causing the aircraft to slide along the runway on its belly. The impact caused significant damage to the lower fuselage, the left flap, the propellers, and the engines, while also leaving shallow grooves in the runway surface. Both occupants were uninjured and able to exit the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the configuration of the aircraft during the final stages of the approach. The instructor noted that while the landing gear lever had been moved to the down position, the cockpit's green gear-down lights were not explicitly verified. The instructor also recalled an audible unsafe gear warning sounding during the approach, which ceased once the lever was moved.
Post-incident inspections and ground tests were conducted by lifting the aircraft using a crane. When the electrical systems were energized and the gear lever moved to the down position, the landing gear cycled normally, and all three green indicator lights illuminated correctly. Furthermore, when the aircraft was placed on the ground under its own weight, the struts compressed and the gear remained securely locked, confirming the mechanical integrity of the extension system.
Findings
- The investigation established that the landing gear system was fully functional and capable of extending and locking properly.
- The primary cause of the incident was that the landing gear lever was operated too late during the approach, meaning the gear was still in the process of extending at the moment of touchdown.
- The delay in gear deployment was likely due to the student pilot's high workload, as they were simultaneously managing a simulated engine failure and maintaining separation from heavy preceding traffic.