What happened
During a flight from Sydney to Proserpine, an aircraft experienced damage to its nose gear landing light and a subsequent hydraulic leak. While the aircraft was departing from Sydney, an unidentified object likely struck the nose gear landing light with enough force to shatter its glass lens. Fragments from this lens then impacted the main landing gear area, resulting in a punctured hydraulic line and a deformed metal wiring conduit. Because the hydraulic line was pressurized when the crew retracted the landing gear after departure, fluid was discharged into the main landing gear wheel well.
The investigation
Investigators examined the damage to the nose gear landing light and the hydraulic system. Although the light featured a polycarbonate cover designed to protect against thermal stress from bulb failure, the bulb itself had fragmented. This indicated that the damage was caused by a high-force impact rather than an internal electrical issue.
Upon inspecting the punctured hydraulic line, investigators found traces of what appeared to be glass, suggesting the lens fragments were the primary source of the damage. While the possibility of damage from ground support equipment or foreign object debris (FOD) was considered, no evidence was found to support those theories. The timing of the event was narrowed down to the departure from Sydney, as no damage was noted during the previous flight or during pre-flight inspections, and the presence of fluid in the wheel well suggested the leak occurred when the gear was retracted during takeoff.
Findings
- The nose gear landing light was struck by an unknown object during the departure from Sydney.
- The impact was severe enough to shatter the glass lens despite the protective polycarbonate cover.
- Fragments from the shattered lens caused the punctured hydraulic line and damaged the wiring conduit.
- The source of the impact remains undetermined; while a bird strike or contact with a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) or FOD was possible, no biological evidence or runway debris was identified.