What happened
On March 29, 2008, an Urban Air UFM 10 Samba, registration PH-3K8, was conducting an overland flight from Grubbenvorst to Rotterdam Airport. During the final approach to runway 24, the pilot attempted to deploy the landing flaps. However, the pilot was unable to fully lock the flap selection lever in the desired position.
In an attempt to manage the unstable lever while simultaneously controlling the throttle, the pilot used his elbow to hold the mechanism in place. Just before touchdown, the lever slipped from the pilot's arm, causing the flaps to retract unexpectedly. This sudden loss of lift caused the aircraft to descend rapidly, resulting in a heavy impact with the runway that severely damaged both the main and nose landing gear.
Following the initial impact, the aircraft bounced back into the air. The pilot initiated a go-around and, after circling for approximately 30 minutes to allow other traffic to clear, returned for a second landing. During this second attempt, the aircraft's nose slid along the runway, causing further damage to the propeller and the forward section of the aircraft. No injuries were reported to the occupants.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the flap selector and the pilot's decision-making process. Investigators examined the cockpit of the PH-3K8 and noted that the pilot had selected the flaps very late in the approach to maintain higher speeds due to heavy traffic congestion.
While the pilot suggested that a piece of clothing might have interfered with the locking mechanism, the cause of the failure to lock the lever could not be definitively determined. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's actions following the initial hard landing, including the communication with air traffic control and the visual inspection of the aircraft's landing gear by the tower controller.