What happened
On 3 June 2001, a Saab 91A, registration SE-BNN, was conducting a private flight from White Waltham with an intended stop at Lydd Airport, Kent, before continuing to a destination in France. The flight proceeded normally until the aircraft arrived at Lydd. Following a standard approach and landing, the pilot attempted to turn off the runway. During this maneuver, the right landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer gently to the right and come to rest on the grass area adjacent to the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained only minor scrapes to the underside of the right wing-tip.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the landing gear and the pilot's cockpit procedures. The landing gear on this specific aircraft model is designed to be retractable via a manual mechanical process, utilizing gravity to assist in lowering and a spring to assist in retraction. Investigators examined the gear following the incident and found that the landing gear was capable of locking down satisfactorily without any adjustments, providing the correct indications of being secure.
Findings
- The pilot had not verified the 'down and locked' status of the landing gear after extending it during the approach to Lydd.
- The failure to confirm the gear was securely locked was a significant factor in the gear collapse during the runway turn-off.