What happened
On 12 September 2018, a Sequoia Falco F8L, registration G-FATE, was engaged in a training flight at Wycombe Airpark, Buckinghamshire. The pilot was performing circuits to re-validate a Single Engine Piston (SEP) class rating, accompanied by an instructor.
The flight began with a hard landing during the initial circuit. Following this impact, the crew taxied to a holding point to inspect the aircraft for damage and verify that the braking system was functioning. Finding no visible issues, they resumed the intended training exercises.
After taking off for a subsequent circuit, the pilot retracted the landing gear. Both the pilot and the instructor observed the gear moving into the up position and believed the system had operated correctly. However, during the approach for the next landing, the pilot selected the gear down. As the aircraft flared and made contact with the runway, it became apparent that the undercarriage had not extended. The aircraft subsequently landed on its belly and skidded along the paved runway before coming to a stop. There were no injuries to the crew.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft to determine why the landing gear failed to deploy despite the initial indication of successful retraction. The inspection of the Sequoia Falker F8L revealed that the nose gear strut had been deformed. This deformation was attributed to the impact of the earlier hard landing. This structural change caused the undercarriage mechanism to jam once the gear had been retracted following takeoff.