What happened
On August 18, 2012, a Beech 60 Duke, registration N48GC, departed Cuers Pierrefeu for a local flight. During the approach, the pilot noticed that the green indication light for the nose gear lock failed to illuminate. After attempting to cycle the gear, the light remained unlit. The pilot decided to proceed with the landing to verify the gear's status rather than performing an emergency extension immediately.
Upon touchdown, the pilot felt the nose of the aircraft sink deeper than usual and initiated a go-around. The flight was diverted to Hyères-Le-Palyvestre to access longer runways and emergency services. During a low pass to allow air traffic control to visually confirm the gear position, the controller could not verify the status due to darkness. The pilot then performed the emergency gear extension procedure, but the green indicator light remained unlit.
Following a normal landing, the aircraft taxied toward the parking area. Because the aircraft's landing lights were non-functional, the pilot lost sight of the taxiway centerline and veered off the runway. This excursion resulted in the collapse of the nose gear and heavy damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the landing gear's command and locking mechanism, which uses a series of linkages and a compression spring to secure the downlock. While the aircraft had undergone an annual inspection in April 2012, the structural damage to the airframe prevented a full assessment of the gear's mechanical adjustments. Post-accident examinations of the nose gear did not reveal any specific malfunction that could explain the initial failure to lock.
Investigators also noted that the pilot did not hold a night flying qualification and typically did not fly at night. The aircraft's landing lights were inoperative due to damaged bulbs, a fact the pilot had not identified because he did not use the lights during daytime operations.
Findings
- The pressure exerted by the locking linkage to maintain the downlock was likely insufficient.
- The physical stress placed on the nose gear during the runway excursion likely caused the downlock mechanism to shift, leading to the gear collapse.
- Inadequate visibility during taxiing due to inoperative landing lights caused the pilot to depart the runway.