What happened
On 10 July 2011, a Beech 76 Duchess, registration G-WACJ, was conducting a training flight at Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire. The flight involved an instructor and a student pilot performing various maneuvers, including Engine Failure After Takeoff (EFATO) drills in the surrounding area. Following these drills, the crew returned to the airfield to perform several circuits.
During a touch-and-go maneuver, the aircraft touched down normally. As the student pilot applied full power to initiate the climb, the nose of the aircraft began to drop. The instructor, observing the descent of the nose, initially suspected a collapse of the nose landing gear. The aircraft subsequently slid along the runway until it came to a halt. There were no injuries to the crew, though the aircraft sustained damage to the underside, nacelles, and propellers, with both engines suffering shock-loading.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of actions taken by the student pilot during the takeoff roll. The instructor noted that the landing gear lever had been left in the up position. It was determined that the student had mistakenly retracted the gear immediately after applying full power. This error was attributed to the student following the specific sequence of actions practiced during the earlier EFATO drills, which involved raising the flaps and landing gear immediately after selecting full power for a climb.
Findings
- The student pilot inadvertently retracted the landing gear during the takeoff roll.
- The error was caused by the student performing the sequence of actions associated with EFATO drills rather than the standard takeoff procedure.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propellers, engines, and underside due to the nose gear being retracted.