Incident Overview
During a touch-and-go landing at Gatwick Airport, the right main landing gear of an aircraft did not lock into its retracted position. The pilot recycled the gear and conducted a visual inspection, which indicated that the gear appeared to be fully retracted.
Subsequent Gear Issues
On the next approach for landing, when the pilot extended the landing gear, the warning light for the right main gear remained illuminated. The gear was recycled several times, but the warning light persisted. Additional attempts to rectify the problem included performing high-g turns, using the hand pump, and briefly touching the runway, all of which were unsuccessful.
Decision and Landing
Given the unresolved gear issue, the decision was made to perform a wheels-up landing on a foam carpet prepared at Manston Airport. The aircraft landed on the foam without further incident.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the malfunction. The starboard undercarriage pin had fractured and fallen out of its housing. This allowed the undercarriage assembly to drop under its own weight. Consequently, it became mechanically impossible for the up-lock catch to disengage from the pin on the undercarriage leg, preventing the gear from locking properly.