What happened
On May 25, 2011, a private Piper PA 28, registered F-GFIT, was performing an approach to runway 15 at the Aix-les-Milles aerodrome. The pilot, flying from Cassagnes Begonhes, attempted to extend the landing gear but observed that the green nose gear indicator light failed to illuminate. After two flypasts of the control tower, the air traffic controller confirmed that the nose wheel had not deployed.
The pilot subsequently decided to perform a precautionary landing. During the landing roll, the pilot attempted to shut down the engine but was unsuccessful. Consequently, the propeller struck the runway surface, causing the aircraft to nose over. The aircraft sustained damage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical cause of the nose gear failure. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the propeller governor control cable was interfering with the nose gear strut, physically preventing the gear from extending.
Investigators traced the origin of this interference to maintenance work performed on March 26, 2011. During a previous engine failure near Rodez, the engine had been removed and repaired at Cassagnes. The mechanic responsible for the engine reinstallation explained that the control cable had likely been moved downward to provide better access to other engine components during the repair. The cable was not repositioned to its original location following the work, and the error was not detected during the final inspection. This flight was the first operation conducted since the engine reinstallation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the incorrect positioning of the propeller governor control cable during engine reinstallation.
- The cable's downward displacement caused mechanical interference with the nose gear assembly.
- The manufacturer's documentation did not include specific instructions for securing the cable to the engine mount, which contributed to the error remaining undetected.