What happened
On 8 December 1998, a Beech 95-B55, registration G-RICK, was performing a public transport flight when it experienced a significant landing gear failure at Stornoway Airport. The flight proceeded through an instrument approach without incident, and the pilot executed a normal touchdown using full flaps.
During the subsequent landing roll, the aircraft began drifting toward the right side of the runway centerline. The pilot applied left rudder to correct the drift; however, shortly after this maneuver, the landing gear warning horn activated. The nose landing gear leg subsequently collapsed, followed by the failure of both the right and left main landing gear legs. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the runway, and all occupants were evacuated without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical integrity of the landing gear system, which is operated by an electric motor and gearbox that move the legs via push rods. While the three geometric locks remained undamaged, the investigation established that the push rods had been bent, making it impossible to restore the original gear rigging.
Technical inspections of the landing gear selector, the electric motor, and the relay showed no operational faults. The damage was primarily concentrated on the landing gear doors, the linkages, and both propellers.