What happened
On 30 July 2001, a Christen Eagle II, registration G-EGAL, was involved in an accident during a private flight near Kingston. During the takeoff roll, the right landing gear wheel detached from the aircraft, causing the right gear leg to dig into the grass. This resulted in a significant rightward swing of the aircraft, followed by the collapse of the landing gear legs. The aircraft slid approximately 25 metres before coming to a halt in a nose-down position. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board, though the aircraft sustained damage to the engine, propeller, landing gear, and adjacent fuselage structure.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's pre-flight inspection and subsequent decision-making regarding the aircraft's configuration. During the external inspection, the pilot identified that the right wheel spat was loose. Upon removing the spat to investigate, the pilot discovered a fatigue fracture across the width of its mounting plate.
To facilitate the flight, the pilot decided to proceed without the spat and the mounting plate, intending to perform a weld repair the following day. The pilot observed four protruding threaded studs that secured the spat. Because the threads appeared to be in poor condition, the pilot chose not to refit the four nuts that secured the spat to these studs, fearing further wear to the threads.
Findings
- The pilot's decision to fly without the spat and mounting plate was based on the assumption that the protruding studs were only intended to hold the spat in place.
- The four nuts that were left off actually served a dual purpose, as they also secured four bolts that attached the wheel assembly to the right landing gear leg.
- The removal of these nuts directly led to the separation of the wheel from the landing gear leg during the takeoff roll.