What happened
On 28 August 2011, a Hawker Hurricane IIB, registration G-HHII, was returning to North Weald Airfield following a flying display. The pilot intended to depart again in a Spitfire PRXI after a brief interval. Following the standard approach for the grass runway, the pilot performed a run and break maneuver and joined the circuit on a crosswind leg.
During the crosswind leg, the pilot slowed the aircraft to 110 mph to facilitate gear extension and climbed, as observed by the tower controller. The pilot reported via radio that the landing gear was down as the aircraft reached the end of the downwind leg. However, the controller, noticing the gear was not visible, used binoculars to confirm that both main wheels were still fully retracted. Despite multiple urgent instructions from the tower to perform a go-around, the pilot did not respond.
The aircraft subsequently flared onto the runway on its belly, sliding along the grass for approximately half the length of the runway. The pilot contacted the tower to express confusion regarding the incident, and the fire crew arrived within three minutes to secure the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on why the landing gear failed to deploy despite the pilot moving the selector lever to the down position. The hydraulic selector lever was found in the correct position for gear extension. Investigators examined the hydraulic system, including the engine-driven pump and the manual backup options. Testing of the foot-activated lever, which allows for gravity-assisted extension, was conducted successfully without any anomalies. No faults were identified within the hydraulic pump or the indicator lights.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller blades, the radiator scoop, and the fuselage.
- The landing gear remained in the locked-up position despite the selector being moved to the down position.
- The specific cause of the failure to extend the landing gear remains undetermined, though the pilot suggested a potential failure of a hydraulic link or system.
- The aircraft lacked a modern modification that feeds the landing gear audio warning directly into the pilot's headset, which may have contributed to the lack of response to the controller's warnings.