What happened
On 13 July 2005, a PA-28R-201 Cherokee Arrow III, registration G-BYYO, was conducting a training flight at Stapleford Aerodrome, Essex. Upon completing a landing, the pilot noticed that while the landing gear lever was set to the 'down' position, only two of the three green indicator lights were illuminated. After being notified by the radio operator that the right main landing gear had not extended, the pilot attempted to troubleshoot the issue in flight. This included selecting the emergency extension lever and attempting to replace the indicator bulbs, but the right gear remained retracted.
To avoid further complications, the pilot opted to perform a flapless approach to the grass Runway 22. During the touchdown, the pilot maintained the right wing in an elevated position for as long as possible, resulting in the aircraft landing solely on the left main gear. This maneuver caused a scrape to the wing tip and damage to the wing step.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's hydraulic and emergency systems. The PA-28R-201 features a hydraulic landing gear system with an emergency extension mechanism that uses gravity to lower the gear by recirculating hydraulic fluid. The investigation included jacking the aircraft to test the extension and locking of the right main gear. The Chief Engineer performed repeated checks on both the normal and emergency extension systems. No obstructions or interference within the landing gear bay were identified, and no mechanical malfunctions were found during these inspections. Following the checks, the aircraft was returned to service.
Findings
- The aircraft's right main landing gear failed to extend via the normal hydraulic selection.
- No mechanical or hydraulic interference was found in the landing gear bay during post-incident inspections.
- The aircraft subsequently completed over 200 flight hours without any recurrence of the issue.