What happened
On 31 May 2011, a Pioneer 300, registration G-EWES, was conducting a private flight when the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear following takeoff. Shortly after the command was given, the pilot observed that the gear had failed to retract. Upon inspection, the pilot discovered that the circuit breaker for the landing gear system had tripped.
In an attempt to rectify the situation, the pilot utilized the manual hand-operated system to raise the gear. Despite this effort, the green light indicating that the main gear was locked in the up position could not be obtained. The pilot subsequently decided to return to the Charlton Myers Farm Strip in Northumberland. During the landing phase, as the aircraft decelerated, it veered toward the left. The aircraft sustained damage to the left landing gear, though the pilot escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the state of the aircraft's landing gear mechanism and the electrical system. The investigation focused on the cause of the circuit breaker tripping and whether the manual override attempt was successful in securing the gear. The AAIB looked into whether the electrical trip was a symptom of a deeper mechanical issue within the gear assembly.