What happened
On April 30, 2016, a Fokker F27 MK50, registration SE-LEZ, was performing a flight from Rimini to Catania. During the final approach to runway 08, the flight crew observed an amber indication for the nose landing gear. To verify the gear's status, the crew performed a low pass, during which the control tower confirmed that the nose gear remained retracted despite the compartment doors being open.
Following the initial approach, the crew attempted several emergency procedures, including a leveled 2G turn, to encourage the gear to extend. These efforts were unsuccessful. The crew eventually performed a landing on the main gear only, with the nose gear in the retracted position. The aircraft's nose made contact with the runway, causing the fuselage to slide along the tarmac. While the aircraft sustained damage to the lower fuselage and structure, all 18 passengers and 3 crew members evacuated without serious injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the maintenance performed on the nose landing gear (NLG) the day before the accident. Investigators examined the work performed by the maintenance organization, noting that the tasks involved replacing internal gland and piston seals and servicing the shock absorber.
Findings revealed that the maintenance was conducted under significant operational pressure to return the aircraft to service quickly. The technical staff involved lacked sufficient experience with these specific tasks, and the engineering department had not mandated a double check for the work. Furthermore, the team used improvised, handcrafted tools because the required special tools were not available at the facility at the time of the service.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure of the nose landing gear to extend due to the overextension of the shock absorber.
- This overextension was directly caused by the incorrect installation of internal components during the seal replacement process.
- Several contributing factors were identified, including the inexperience of the technicians, a lack of independent quality controls, and the absence of clearly defined roles during the maintenance planning phase.
- The investigation also noted that the maintenance procedures in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) lacked sufficient clarity regarding the alignment of certain parts, a deficiency that the manufacturer has since addressed.