Left Main Gear Failure Causes Wing Strike During Landing at Seville

Casualties unknown • Aeropuerto de Sevilla (Sevilla), ES

A business jet experienced a left wing strike and landing gear malfunction at Seville Airport after a shock absorber failure prevented gear retraction and transponder activation.

What happened

On 4 September 2008, an Aerospatiale SN-601 Corvette, registration F-GLEC, was performing a corporate flight from Toulouse to Seville. After a routine morning arrival, the aircraft prepared for a return flight to Toulouse with a crew of two and eight passengers.

During the takeoff roll from Seville Airport, the crew attempted to retract the landing gear following standard procedures but found the lever locked in the down position. Shortly after becoming airborne, Air Traffic Control (ATC) notified the crew that the aircraft's SSR transponder signal was not appearing on radar. Following instructions from the controller, the crew turned back to the airport.

During the landing roll, the left wing gradually descended until it made contact with the runway surface, sliding for approximately 50 meters before the aircraft came to a stop. While there were no injuries to the 2 crew members or 8 passengers, the aircraft sustained damage to the left landing gear leg, flaps, and the left wingtip fuel tank, which experienced a leak.

Probable cause

The incident was caused by the internal failure of the left main gear shock absorber, specifically the separation of the outer cylinder from the piston. This failure was triggered by the loosening of a locking nut on the piston sealing assembly, which allowed the components to detach. This mechanical failure simultaneously caused the landing gear lever to remain locked in the down position and prevented the SSR transponder from receiving the necessary electrical signal for flight operations.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2008-09-04 Aerospatiale SN601 Corvette 100 accident near Aeropuerto de Sevilla (Sevilla), ES?

A business jet experienced a left wing strike and landing gear malfunction at Seville Airport after a shock absorber failure prevented gear retraction and transponder activation.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2008-09-04 involved a Aerospatiale SN601 Corvette 100, registration F-GLEC, at Aeropuerto de Sevilla (Sevilla), ES.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The incident was caused by the internal failure of the left main gear shock absorber, specifically the separation of the outer cylinder from the piston. This failure was triggered by the loosening of a locking nut on the piston sealing assembly, which allowed the components to detach. This mechanical failure…

Investigation report by the Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC). Original record: https://www.transportes.gob.es/recursos_mfom/2008_037_in_eng_0.pdf. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the Comision de Investigacion de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviacion Civil (CIAIAC), Spain - Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible.

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