What happened
On October 8, 2003, a REIMS AVIATION F-177-RG, registration EC-BZX, was conducting a dual instruction flight from Chaves to A Coruña. During the landing phase at A Coruña Airport, the nose gear failed to remain extended, causing the front of the aircraft to collapse toward the runway.
The aircraft continued its movement along the runway, supported by the main landing gear and the lower front section of the fuselage. The propeller made contact with the runway surface, leaving visible marks on the pavement. The aircraft came to a complete stop without departing the runway, and no fire occurred during the event.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's maintenance history, and the mechanical state of the landing gear. The instructor pilot reported that during the landing flare, they noticed the nose was dropping excessively. The crew attempted to maintain the aircraft's pitch and reduce speed to minimize potential damage in case the gear was not fully locked.
Post-incident inspections of the EC-BZX revealed that the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid and that maintenance had been performed according to the authorized program. A technical examination of the landing gear mechanism determined that the nose gear is designed to deploy after the main gear, with a measurable time delay inherent to the mechanism's design. The inspection found no mechanical malfunctions or defects in the gear's operation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the nose gear was still in transition at the moment of touchdown.
- The delay in the nose gear's deployment, caused by the design of the extension mechanism, prevented it from being fully locked and extended before the aircraft made contact with the ground.