What happened
On 11 June 2009, a Beech 76 Duchess, registration G-MULT, was conducting an MEP/IR Revalidation Proficiency Check at Bournemouth Airport. The flight was being conducted by an instructor and a student. During the visual circuits, the student performed an asymmetric circuit, and on final approach, the instructor confirmed the landing gear was down and locked.
During a touch-and-go landing, the aircraft initially made normal contact with the mainwheels, followed by the nosewheel. However, the nose and right landing gears subsequently collapsed. The impact resulted in damage to the right wing skin, the lower fuselage, and the right engine exhaust, while both propellers were bent and the engines sustained shock-loads. There were no fatalities or injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
Investigators established that while the instructor was raising the flaps and centralising the trims, the landing gear warning horn activated. Upon inspection, the instructor found the landing gear selector had been moved to the up position. The instructor observed that the student's knee was in close proximity to the selector and concluded that the student had accidentally knocked the lever while shifting in their seat to get comfortable.
Further examination revealed that a similar incident had occurred the previous day during a different training flight in the same aircraft. In that instance, an instructor noticed the gear selector was in the up position during the 'Before Starting Engine' checks, though the cause was not identified at the time.