What happened
During the approach and landing phase of the flight, the pilot discovered that the landing gear selector handle had become detached from its mechanism. To verify the operational status of the gear, the pilot used the detached handle to manually manipulate the lever, cycling the landing gear through its extension and retraction sequences. After confirming the gear functioned correctly, the pilot removed the handle from the cockpit to prevent it from becoming lost or inaccessible during the remainder of the flight.
At the time of landing, the pilot believed the three green landing gear down indicator lights were illuminated. However, due to the absence of a stop pin, the landing gear was able to self-retract once the handle was released. Consequently, the pilot was unaware that the gear had transitioned to the retracted position before touchdown.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events leading to the gear retraction and the environmental factors present during the landing. It was determined that the landing gear selector handle became detached and that the gear subsequently retracted without the pilot's knowledge because the missing stop pin allowed for self-retraction upon release of the lever.
Findings
- The pilot experienced several interruptions and distractions during the approach and landing, including waiting for another aircraft to vacate the runway and adjusting the circuit for separation.
- Technical and environmental distractions included GPS issues, the detachment of the landing gear handle, the presence of large birds under the final approach, and significant crosswinds.
- The combination of these distractions and abnormal conditions likely led to the pilot flaring the aircraft for landing without realizing the gear was retracted.