What happened
On March 2, 2017, an Embraer EMB-810D, registration PT-VIX, was operating a private flight from São José do Rio Claro, MT, to Cuiabá, MT. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and two passengers. After landing on runway 35 at Cuiabá Airport (SBCY), the pilot exited the runway via a left turn onto taxiway C.
While initiating a right turn to enter taxiway E, the left main landing gear unexpectedly retracted. This sudden movement caused the aircraft to strike the ground with the propeller tips, the aileron hinge, and the side of the tail cone on the left side. The aircraft sustained light damage, but all three occupants remained uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators reviewed tower camera footage and audio communications between the aircraft and the control tower to evaluate the taxi speed and check for any audible landing gear warning alarms. The footage confirmed that the aircraft was taxiing at an appropriate speed for ground operations. Meteorological conditions were favorable for visual flight.
Technical inspections were performed using hydraulic jacks to test the landing gear system. While the gear functioned correctly through multiple normal retraction and extension cycles, investigators noted that the left gear was consistently the last to move. During emergency gravity-extension tests, the left main gear descended more slowly and failed to lock down, though investigators noted this might be due to the lack of aerodynamic load while the aircraft was suspended on jacks.
An inspection of the left main gear lock revealed no signs of corrosion, deformation, or excessive play. Although one bolt appeared newer and cleaner than the other, no maintenance records indicated recent work on that specific component, and the pilot reported no issues during the pre-landing checklist.