Incident Overview
Air Creebec flight 140, a scheduled flight from Moosonee, Ontario, to Timmins, Ontario, was on approach to Timmins with 2 crew members and 7 passengers on board. The crew selected the landing gear down but did not receive an indication that the gear was down and locked. A fly-by of the airport confirmed that the landing gear was not fully extended.
Emergency Response
The crew followed the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) procedures and attempted to lower the landing gear using the alternate extension system, but were unable to do so manually. An emergency was declared, and the aircraft landed with only the nose gear partially extended. The aircraft came to rest beyond the end of Runway 28. All occupants evacuated through the main entrance door. No fire occurred, and there were no injuries. Emergency services were on scene for the evacuation. The accident occurred during daylight hours at 1740 Eastern Daylight Time.
Investigation Findings
The investigation found that during the extension of the landing gear, a wire bundle became entangled around the landing-gear rotating torque shaft, preventing full extension. This entanglement also prevented the alternate landing-gear extension system from working. The wire bundle consisted of wiring for the generator control circuits; when damaged, it disabled both generators, leaving the battery as the only source of electrical power until landing.