What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2014-09-29 involved a Yak-52, registration G-BWSV, at North Weald Airfield, Essex, GB.

Yak-52 Landing Gear Not Extended on Landing at North Weald (G-BWSV)

On September 29, 2014, a Yak-52 (registration G-BWSV) was involved in an aviation accident near North Weald Airfield, Essex, GB. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot did not move the landing gear selection lever fully into the down detent and did not check the gear position indicators, resulting in the mainwheels remaining retracted. This summary draws on records from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

On 29 September 2014, a Yak-52 at North Weald Airfield landed with its mainwheels retracted due to the pilot not fully selecting the landing gear lever down and not checking indicators. No injuries occurred, but the propeller and rear skid were damaged.

Accident Overview

On 29 September 2014, at approximately 1440 UTC, a Yakovlev Yak-52 aircraft, registration G-BWSV, experienced an abnormal landing at North Weald Airfield, Essex. The aircraft came to rest on its retracted mainwheels, sustaining damage to the propeller and rear skid. Neither the sole pilot nor the single passenger reported injuries.

Aircraft and Flight Details

The Yak-52, manufactured in 1987 (serial number 877601), is powered by a single Ivchenko Vedeneyev M-14P piston engine. The flight was conducted under private operation. The pilot, aged 47, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had logged 614 total flying hours, including 76 hours on the Yak-52 type. In the preceding 90 days, the pilot had flown 4 hours, with 1 hour in the last 28 days.

Landing Sequence

The flight was a local sortie lasting approximately 20 minutes. The pilot reported that the approach and touchdown initially appeared normal. However, upon landing, he sensed that the aircraft adopted a more pronounced nose-high attitude than usual. The aircraft subsequently stopped on its retracted mainwheels, with the propeller broken.

Landing Gear System

The Yak-52 employs a pneumatic system for mainwheels, flaps, and brakes. The tricycle landing gear is selected using a lever in each cockpit. The lever must be fully placed into either the up or down detent to achieve the desired selection. A separate knob must be actuated to release the detents each time the lever is moved. Three green lights to the left of the levers indicate when the landing gear legs are down and locked. Additionally, three mechanical indicators—one in each wing and one in the nose—provide supplementary position information.

Pilot Actions

The pilot reported that, when selecting landing gear down, he did not move the lever fully into the down detent and did not verify the gear position indicators. This resulted in the nosewheel only partially extending while the mainwheels remained retracted. The aircraft was designed to land on its retracted mainwheels in an emergency, with minimal damage expected.

Damage

Damage was limited to the propeller and the rear skid. No other structural damage was reported.

Probable cause

The pilot did not move the landing gear selection lever fully into the down detent and did not check the gear position indicators, resulting in the mainwheels remaining retracted.

2014-09-29: Yak-52 (G-BWSV) — North Weald Airfield, Essex, GB