What happened
On 7 September 2020, a Cessna F177RG, registration G-AYSY, was returning to Leicester Airport following a private flight. After completing several circuits, the pilot performed a standard approach to Runway 2D. Prior to touchdown, the pilot confirmed the landing gear was down and locked via the cockpit indicator lights and an external inspection mirror.
Following a normal touchdown, the aircraft began to decelerate. As the pilot retracted the flaps and the speed dropped to approximately 40 mph, a metallic sound was heard, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft traveled roughly 70 metres along the runway before coming to a halt with the nose resting on the tarmac. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries and were able to exit the aircraft safely. The incident caused damage to the engine, propeller, nose landing gear, and nose gear doors.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the landing gear and the possibility of accidental retraction. Investigators recovered a damaged bolt from the runway, identified as the nose gear centre torque link bolt, along with a damaged torque link. However, examination by maintenance professionals suggested this damage was an artifact of the aircraft contacting the runway surface during the collapse rather than a cause of it.
Testing of the aircraft's hydraulic retraction and extension systems revealed no functional faults. The investigation also considered the possibility that the gear was not fully locked despite the cockpit indications, or that the gear handle was inadvertently moved during flap retraction. The investigation noted that the aircraft had a history of a hydraulic failure in 2019, but the current system was found to be working correctly during post-accident testing.
Findings
- The nose gear collapse occurred as the aircraft slowed on the runway after landing.
- The mechanical over-centre lock was likely not fully extended, though the specific reason remains undetermined.
- There was no evidence of a heavy landing or structural overload, as the drag link and shock strut remained undamaged.
- The damage found on the torque link bolt and link itself was caused by contact with the runway after the collapse had already initiated.