Incident Overview
A training flight operated by one instructor and three pilots under training departed Shearwater Airport for a local training mission. The crew attempted a flapless landing but arrived too high. To correct the situation, the pilot-in-command nosed down, resulting in a very hard landing and a bounce.
Sequence of Events
After the hard landing, the crew initiated a go-around procedure. Air traffic control (ATC) based in the tower informed the crew that the right main gear appeared damaged. The crew then entered a holding pattern. Approximately 40 minutes later, the right main gear separated from the aircraft. Subsequently, the right engine lost power, and a fire erupted in the right wheel well. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared to return to Shearwater Airport.
Upon landing, the aircraft sank onto its right side, rolled for several dozen metres, and came to rest, bursting into flames. All four occupants escaped uninjured before an explosion occurred in the central fuel tank.
Probable Cause
It was determined that during the first hard landing, the right main gear was seriously damaged upon impact, as were hydraulic and fuel lines.