What happened
On 11 August 1999, a Beech 58, registration G-OSDI, was performing a series of touch-and-go landings at Wellesbourne Mountford Airport in Warwickshire. The flight was a private operation conducted in favorable weather conditions with a light wind. During the ground roll of the third landing attempt on Runway 18, the pilot attempted to retract the flaps but instead moved the landing gear selector to the up position. Consequently, the aircraft settled onto the runway with the gear retracted, coming to a stop to the right of the centreline. Both the pilot and the passenger escaped the aircraft without any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the cockpit configuration and the pilot's actions during the landing sequence. The pilot noted that his experience with other twin-engine aircraft involved a different layout, as the landing gear and flap selectors were transposed in those models compared to the Beech 58. The investigation also looked into the functionality of the landing gear safety 'squat switches.' While the pilot observed that these switches did not appear to prevent the retraction, the investigation reviewed the aircraft's equipment and found that the Landing Gear Safety System was not installed on G-OSUI.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the incorrect selection of the landing gear lever instead of the flap lever.
- The pilot's familiarity with different aircraft cockpit layouts contributed to the error, as the controls in the Beech 58 were in a different position relative to other types the pilot had flown.
- The aircraft sustained minor damage to the propeller, flaps, and the underside of the airframe.