What happened
On 13 October 2001, a Europa aircraft, registration G-FLOR, was involved in an accident at Pent Farm, Kent, during a private flight. Following the cleaning of the aircraft, the pilot performed pre-flight inspections but subsequently left the aircraft to change clothing. During this interval, the pitot tube cover remained in place.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot noticed that the Airspeed Indicator (ASI) was non-functional, realizing the pitot cover had been left on. Despite this, the takeoff proceeded, and the aircraft climbed to 800 feet. The pilot then initiated a circuit to return to the airfield. During the approach, the pilot failed to verify that the landing gear was in the down and locked position. Upon touchdown, the main wheel retracted, causing the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft subsequently slid to a halt.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had deviated from his standard pre-flight procedures by performing checks significantly earlier than the actual departure. This deviation contributed to the oversight regarding the pitot cover. Furthermore, the investigation examined the pilot's actions during the return to the strip, noting that the presence of a known instrument failure likely impacted the pilot's focus and time management during the landing sequence.
Findings
- The pilot failed to verify that the landing gear was fully extended and locked prior to touchdown.
- The pilot's failure to confirm the gear status was a primary factor in the gear retraction.
- The pilot's decision to deviate from standard pre-flight inspection timing led to the pitot cover being left on the aircraft.
- The pilot did not allow sufficient time during the approach to complete all necessary pre-landing checklists due to the distraction of the known airspeed indicator issue.