What happened
On 1 August 2013, a Fournier RF4D, registration G-AVNZ, was performing a private flight at a grass airstrip located near Bristol. The weather conditions at the time were fine. The landing sequence proceeded normally until the aircraft had completed approximately 40 to 50 metres of ground roll. At this point, the single main landing gear became unlocked and collapsed. This failure caused the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in the destruction of the propeller and potential shock loading to the engine.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot submitted an aircraft accident report. The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear assembly. While the specific underlying cause for the gear unlocking had not been definitively established at the time of the report, the investigation considered the physical state of the components. The pilot noted that the age and general wear of the landing gear parts might have contributed to the failure.