What happened
On 22 March 2017, a Beech 76 Duchess, registration G-JLRW, was conducting a dual training flight for a Multi-Engine Piston rating at Exeter Airport. During the flight, the crew attempted to extend the landing gear, but the left gear unsafe light remained illuminated and the left gear indicator light failed to light up. Despite attempts to recycle the gear and replace the indicator bulbs, the issue persisted.
Following consultation with operations and engineering, the crew attempted the emergency gear lowering procedure upon returning to Exeter, but this was unsuccessful. A flypast of the control tower confirmed the left gear remained retracted. After approximately 45 minutes of flight, the crew decided to land. The instructor flew the aircraft, shutting down both engines and feathering the propellers near the Runway 26 threshold. Upon touchdown, the aircraft rested on the nose and right main gear before veering left and coming to a stop on the grass adjacent to the runway. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear assembly. Post-flight inspections of the left main landing gear identified that the lower clevis pin in the trailing link was missing. Because the pin could not be located, investigators were unable to establish why the component had become detached from the assembly.