What happened
On 14 November 2013, a Piper PA-28R-180 Cherokee Arrow, registration G-AVWO, was conducting a private night flight from Biggin Hill to Shoreham Airport. During the approach to Runway 02, the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a very heavy landing on the asphalt surface. While the aircraft appeared to handle normally immediately following the touchdown, the pilot noted no obvious damage during a post-flight inspection.
Following a period of parking at Shoreham, the pilot prepared for a return flight to Biggin Hill. During the takeoff and subsequent gear retraction sequence, the landing gear failed to lock into the up position. Although the 'gear in transit' light functioned, repeated attempts to cycle the gear were unsuccessful. The pilot elected to complete the flight with the landing gear extended, performing an uneventful landing back at Biggin Hill.
The investigation
An inspection of the aircraft by a maintenance organisation identified structural damage to the left wing upper surface. Further examination revealed that the damage extended to a wing rib and the web located within the landing gear well. The investigation established that the damage was a consequence of the initial heavy landing at Shoreham.
Findings
- The primary cause of the gear malfunction was structural damage to the landing gear well and wing components caused by a heavy landing.
- The pilot's perception of height during the flare was affected by the narrow width of the Shoreham runway (18 m) compared to the wider runway at Biggin Hill (45 m).
- No injuries were sustained by the crew, and there were no fatalities.