What happened
On 14 October 2021, a Beech 58, registration G-BTFT, was operating a private flight from Thruxton to Rochester Airport. During the approach, the pilot experienced difficulty locating the airfield, reporting a lack of visibility before establishing a downwind pattern. Shortly after, the aircraft was observed turning onto the final approach for Runway 20.
An airport staff member witnessing the arrival described the touchdown as initially smooth; however, it quickly became apparent that the aircraft had landed with its landing gear retracted. The aircraft slid along the runway before coming to a halt. While the pilot and passenger escaped without none injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage, including bent propeller blades on both engines, distorted flap trailing edges, and a buckled fuselage underside.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the aircraft's landing gear system and the pilot's cockpit procedures. Although the landing gear selector was found in the down position, the gear doors remained closed and flush with the airframe. During the recovery process, the crew had to manually extend the gear because the system failed to respond to the standard selector movement.
Subsequent inspections by a maintenance organisation revealed that structural distortion caused by the impact may have physically obstructed the gear from deploying. Once this distortion was corrected, the landing gear was found to be fully operational and the indicator lights functioned correctly.
Findings
- The pilot's focus may have been diverted by the difficulty in locating the airfield, potentially leading to an incomplete verification of the landing gear status.
- The rapid sequence of the downwind call followed closely by the final approach suggests that critical cockpit checks may have been performed in haste.
- A transient technical fault or structural interference caused by the landing impact may have prevented the gear from extending even if the selector had been correctly operated.