What happened
On 14 June 2014, a Europa aircraft, registration G-BXFG, was conducting a private local flight near Eaglescott Airfield in Burrington, Devon. During the approach and subsequent landing on the grass strip, the pilot performed the necessary pre-landing checks. While the pilot recalled lowering the landing gear and verifying the lever position by touch, the landing gear retracted immediately upon the aircraft making contact with the ground.
Following the retraction, the aircraft slid approximately 150 metres along the grass surface before coming to a halt. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained minor damage to the fuselage and left wing, and the propeller blades were broken.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanics of the landing gear control system and the pilot's cockpit procedures. On this specific aircraft model, the landing gear and flaps are operated by a single lever. This lever moves within a narrow slot and is secured in position by moving it sideways into a detent, where a safety latch engages to prevent accidental movement. This latch position is intended to provide a visual indicator that the gear is locked down.
Investigators examined the pilot's actions leading up to the touchdown. Although the pilot noted that the aircraft's attitude during approach did not suggest the gear was retracted, the physical engagement of the lever in the down position was not visually verified.