What happened
On 4 August 2018, a Europa XS, registration G-IMAB, was performing a private flight from Breighton to East Kirkby Airfield in Lincolnshire. During the takeoff roll, the pilot encountered a bumpy runway surface. As the aircraft approached rotation speed, the main landing gear, wing outriggers, and flaps retracted without any input from the crew. This sudden retraction caused the aircraft to lose its footing on the runway, resulting in a slide of approximately 50 metres before coming to a halt. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained damage to the engine, propeller, landing gear, and fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the single-lever mechanism used to control both the landing gear and the flaps. This lever is designed with two gates for the up and down positions and includes a safety latch intended to prevent accidental movement. The pilot noted that the lever on this specific aircraft was not biased to the right as intended and required significant pressure to lock into the down position. The pilot also suggested that the vibrations from the bumpy runway might have caused the safety latch to dislodge.
An initial inspection by an LAA inspector identified wear within the landing gear mechanism, though no immediate cause for the uncommanded movement was identified. A subsequent, more detailed inspection of the system revealed no specific anomalies. Following the incident, the aircraft underwent repairs, which included the installation of an optional spring to assist the operation of the safety latch.
Findings
- The aircraft's landing gear, outriggers, and flaps retracted spontaneously during the takeoff roll.
- The pilot's experience with this specific airframe was limited, and he had previously accepted the high pressure required to engage the gear lever as normal.
- The safety latch may have moved out of position due to the bumpy runway surface.
- The landing gear mechanism showed evidence of wear, though no definitive mechanical failure was found during detailed inspection.