What happened
On 3/07/2001, a Cessna 402C, registered ZS-LXY, departed Johannesburg International Airport (FAJS) for an international cargo flight bound for Harare, Zimbabwe. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear, which triggered an airframe buffet and activated a gear warning light in the cockpit.
In response to the mechanical indication, the pilot decided to abort the flight and return to Johannesburg. The pilot notified Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the situation and received clearance to land on Runway 21L. During the approach, the pilot noted that the runway lights appeared dim and requested that ATC increase their intensity. While the pilot focused on managing the gear malfunction and preparing for touchdown, the aircraft landed on the runway. It was only during the landing roll-out that ATC informed the pilot that the aircraft had actually landed on the wrong runway.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events following the gear warning and the pilot's interaction with ATC. It was established that the pilot was attempting to verify that the undercarriage was down and locked while simultaneously managing the aircraft's flight path during a period of high workload. The investigation also reviewed the status of the airport's runways at the time of the incident.
Findings
- The pilot experienced a landing gear retraction failure immediately following departure, which created significant cockpit workload.
- The pilot's attention was heavily diverted toward verifying the gear status and managing the aircraft during the emergency return.
- The aircraft landed on Runway 21R, which was a closed runway.
- A NOTAM (A1060/2001) had been issued on 10 July 2001, notifying all pilots that Runway 03L/21R was closed for maintenance purposes.