What happened
On 14 January 2009, a Beech Baron 58, registration ZS-BMG, was conducting a private flight from Rand Aerodrome to Lanseria Aerodrome. While established on the right base leg for runway 06R, the pilot extended the landing gear, at which point an audible bang was heard. Immediately following this, the aircraft's flight controls froze, and the pilot lost all aileron control, rendering the aircraft unable to turn.
Despite the green light indicating the gear was down, the pilot requested a visual confirmation from Air Traffic Control. While the main gear was confirmed extended, the pilot had to manage the approach using rudder inputs and differential thrust to maintain the centerline. The approach was flown at a higher speed of approximately 120 mph. Upon touchdown, the aircraft's nose remained retracted; as the nose lowered, the propellers struck the runway surface. The pilot managed to briefly lift the aircraft back into the air before settling it gently on the runway. There were no fatalities or injuries among the six people on board.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's nose wheel assembly and found that the nose gear had failed to extend from its compartment. The investigation determined that the nose wheel was positioned off-center because two spacers had been installed on the right-hand side of the wheel, while the left side had none. This improper configuration prevented the push-pull rod from extending the gear.
As the mechanism failed to deploy the gear, the resulting mechanical stress caused the torque tube to bend. This bent tube pressed against the aileron control cable, which caused the controls to seize. The investigation also confirmed that the aircraft had been maintained according to regulations, with the last periodic inspection completed approximately 85 hours prior to the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the incorrect fitment of the nose landing gear.
- The nose wheel was installed off-center due to the use of two spacers on one side of the wheel instead of a single, centered spacer.
- The failure of the nose gear to extend caused the torque tube to bend and compress the aileron cable, leading to the loss of lateral control.
- The propeller strike was a direct result of the nose gear remaining in the retracted position during touchdown.