What happened
On May 21, 2006, a Fournier RF 5 motor glider, registration F-BPLZ, was performing a recreational flight when it was forced to execute a landing without gear at the Voghera Rivanazzano airport. During the approach to runway 34, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear but found the control lever immobile. Following standard procedure for such an emergency, the pilot shut down the engine and, with the propeller in a horizontal position, completed the landing on the aircraft's fuselage skids.
There were no injuries to the two occupants on board. The aircraft sustained only minor damage, consisting of light abrasions to the belly skids and the lower cowling.
The investigation
The investigation focused on why the landing gear mechanism failed to operate during the final stages of the flight. Investigators examined the cockpit configuration and the pilot's actions prior to the landing. It was determined that during the flight, the pilot had unfastened the seatbelt to hand a bottle of water to the passenger seated behind.
Due to the restricted space within the cockpit, when the pilot refastened the seatbelt, the belt inadvertently became caught around the landing gear extension lever. This physical obstruction prevented the lever from being moved forward to trigger the gear deployment. By the time the pilot realized the lever was jammed, the engine had already been shut down and the aircraft was too close to the ground to rectify the situation.
Findings
- The primary cause of the landing gear failure was the mechanical obstruction of the deployment lever by the pilot's seatbelt.
- The pilot's attempt to assist the passenger by handing over water necessitated unfastening the restraint system.
- The cramped cockpit environment contributed to the accidental jamming of the control lever during the re-fastening process.