Incident Overview
On July 12, 2002, at 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 (registration EC-HXO) was on a training flight from Son Bonet Aerodrome in the Balearic Islands. The aircraft carried three occupants: the instructor, a student pilot, and a passenger. After performing two touch-and-go landings on runway 24, the crew decided to conduct a final approach, aware of another aircraft on long final. During the landing roll, the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid along the runway for approximately 30 meters before stopping. All occupants evacuated without assistance and were uninjured.
Aircraft and Crew
The instructor held a commercial pilot and instructor license with 740 total flight hours, including 67 hours on type. The student had 94 hours total, 18 on type. The aircraft had a valid airworthiness certificate and was maintained according to an approved schedule.
Landing Gear System
The PA-28RT-201 features a hydraulically retractable landing gear, with an electric motor-driven hydraulic pump. An emergency extension system uses gravity and a spring for the nose gear. The aircraft also had an automatic extension system that could be disabled by a control (OVERRIDE ENGAGED); when disabled, a flashing amber light indicated the system was off. The operator routinely disabled the automatic system, and the amber bulb had been removed to avoid constant flashing, a modification not documented.
Investigation Findings
After the incident, the hydraulic pump was found to be faulty and was replaced for testing. With the automatic extension system disabled (as was the case during the flight), the gear operated correctly during functional tests. However, when the pump failure was simulated, the gear stopped halfway, matching the incident condition. The warning system functioned properly: the red unsafe light illuminated and the horn sounded, while the three green down-and-locked lights remained off. The instructor stated he did not recall checking the green lights after completing the before-landing checklist, and the gear handle was found in the down position after the event. The crew had intended a precise landing due to traffic behind them.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller, engine, lower fuselage, and landing gear doors and mechanisms. No third-party damage occurred. All three occupants were uninjured.