What happened
On 21 June 2014, a Beech F33A, registration N999F, was conducting a private flight when it encountered difficulties with its landing gear while inbound to Jersey Airport. During the approach, the pilot observed that the left landing gear failed to show a green indication. Despite multiple attempts to recycle the gear, the pilot was unable to confirm the left gear was locked in the down position.
The pilot proceeded with the approach aware of the potential gear instability. Upon touchdown, the left gear leg began to collapse slowly during the landing roll. This failure caused the aircraft to veer off the runway and onto the grassed area. There were no injuries to the two crew members or the single passenger on board, though the aircraft sustained damage to the landing gear and the left wing.
The investigation
Investigators examined the landing gear actuation system of the Beech F3 3A. This system utilizes a central gearbox to drive three separate extension rods, one for each gear leg. The investigation focused on the left gear leg extension rod, which was found to have failed in compression.
Records indicated that the aircraft had a history of similar issues; a gear leg collapse had occurred during a landing in 2006. Furthermore, during an annual inspection in November 2012, the left gear extension rod was found to be bent and subsequently replaced. The investigation established that the component that failed during the June 2014 incident was this same replacement rod.