Accident Summary
On 1 August 2017 at 1215 hrs UTC, a Europa aircraft, registration G-LEBE, was involved in an accident at Popham Airfield, Hampshire. The aircraft, a mono-wheel version of the Europa, was conducting a private flight with a single pilot and no passengers. The pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft sustained damage limited to the distortion of the landing gear retraction lever and its surrounding panel.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Europa, manufactured in 2012 (serial no: PFA 247-12927), powered by one Rotax 912 ULS piston engine. The pilot, aged 71, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 603 total flying hours, with 290 hours on type. In the 90 days prior to the accident, the pilot had flown 12 hours, with 4 hours in the last 28 days.
Incident Details
The pilot lowered the landing gear and flaps during the approach, with the combined landing gear/flap lever placed in the down position. After touchdown, a loud bang was heard. The pilot then realized that the lever had sprung out of the down position and moved toward the up position. However, it snagged on its surround, became distorted, and remained stuck in a mid-position along its track. As a result, the mainwheel retracted into the wheel-well, but the aircraft came to a halt without further damage.
Pilot's Assessment
The pilot later assessed that he did not positively verify that the lug, which locks the landing gear/flap lever in the down position, had engaged when he lowered the mainwheel.