What happened
On 6 February 2013, a Beechcraft BE76 Duchess, registration G-GDMW, was performing an instrument flying training exercise at Bournemouth Airport. During the takeoff roll on Runway 08, the aircraft encountered a 20-knot northerly crosswind, causing the aircraft to yaw left. As the pilot applied right rudder to maintain the centerline, the aircraft's nose pitched down and the right wing made contact with the runway.
The aircraft's landing gear partially retracted during the takeoff roll, leading to the collapse of the nose gear and partial collapse of the main gear. All two crew members and one passenger on board were able to exit the aircraft without injury, though the aircraft sustained damage to the engines, propellers, and the right wing skin.
The investigation
The investigation established that the landing gear selector lever had been moved to the UP position during the takeoff roll. While a safety switch linked to the aircraft's airspeed prevented the full retraction of the gear until a specific speed threshold was reached, the retraction sequence had already commenced.
Investigators found that the student pilot's knee was in close proximity to the gear selector lever. It was determined that the movement of the rudder pedals during the crosswind correction likely caused the pilot's knee to strike the lever. Although the lever is designed with a detent system to prevent accidental movement, this specific aircraft had not been fitted with a physical guard, and the existing detent was not effective in preventing the inadvertent selection.
Findings
- The primary cause of the gear retraction was the inadvertent selection of the landing gear lever to the UP position caused by contact with the student pilot's knee.
- The aircraft's detent system, intended to prevent accidental gear movement, was ineffective.
- The aircraft was not equipped with a physical guard on the gear lever, a modification that had been applied to other aircraft in the operator's fleet to prevent similar occurrences.