Accident Details
On Wednesday, 25 May 2011, at 15:15 local time, a private Piper PA-28 aircraft, registration F-GFIT, was on approach to runway 15 at Aix-les-Milles aerodrome (Bouches-du-Rhône, France). The pilot, who had departed from Cassagnes Begonhes (Aveyron), lowered the landing gear but noticed that the green indicator light for the nose gear did not illuminate. After two flypasts, the air traffic controller confirmed that the nose wheel was not extended. The pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing.
Landing Sequence
During the landing roll, the pilot attempted to stop the engine but was unsuccessful. The propeller struck the runway, and the aircraft slid on its nose, resulting in damage to the aircraft.
Examination Findings
Inspection of the aircraft revealed that the propeller control cable was interfering with the nose gear compass, preventing the nose gear from deploying fully.
Maintenance Background
On 26 March 2011, during a flight near Rodez, the pilot had diverted to Cassagnes following an engine failure. The engine was removed and repaired on site. The mechanic who performed the work explained that during reassembly, the propeller control cable was likely moved downward to facilitate access to other engine components. Subsequently, the cable was not repositioned, and the final inspection did not detect the anomaly. The manufacturer's documentation does not require the cable to be secured to the engine mount. The accident flight was the first since the maintenance intervention.
Conclusion
The accident was caused by the incorrect positioning of the propeller control cable during engine reassembly. The precautionary landing executed by the pilot helped to limit the damage to the aircraft.