What happened
On 16 June 2017, a Spitfire MK.T IX, registration G-CICK, was performing a flight at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. During the approach, the pilot transitioned the aircraft onto the downwind leg of the circuit and moved the landing gear selector to the down position. The pilot noted that the gear appeared to extend as expected and believed the locks had engaged.
Upon completing pre-landing checks, the pilot observed a green indication on the panel, suggesting the gear was extended and locked. However, immediately following touchdown on the runway, the landing gear retracted. This caused the propeller to strike the ground, which destroyed all four blades and caused minor damage to the wing-mounted radiators and the lower fuselage. There were no injuries to the crew or the passenger on board.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's landing gear extension and retraction system following the accident. Subsequent testing of the system revealed that it was functioning normally and did not exhibit any mechanical or hydraulic failures.
To understand the pilot's perception of the gear status, the investigation looked at the cockpit environment. The pilot reported that the sunlight hitting the landing gear position indication panel created a visual illusion, making it appear as though the green 'down' light was illuminated when it was not.