What happened
On 13 February 2014, a private flight traveling from Rustenburg Aerodrome to Lanseria Aerodrome experienced a significant incident upon arrival. The aircraft, a Beech Baron 58 with registration ZS-LIO, was carrying the pilot and three passengers. After a routine landing on runway 07R, the aircraft proceeded approximately 300 metres into its landing roll when the landing gear suddenly collapsed.
The resulting impact caused the aircraft to skid on its belly, veering slightly to the right of the runway centerline. The collision with the runway surface caused substantial damage to the aircraft's lower skin, the engines, and the propeller blades. Despite the severity of the impact, all four occupants evacuated the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's mechanical state and the pilot's actions following the incident. Post-accident inspections and maintenance records confirmed that the landing gear system was fully serviceable and had no mechanical defects prior to the accident. Testing performed on jacks after the recovery showed that the hydraulic and free-fall systems were functioning correctly.
The investigation also looked into why the aircraft's safety interlock system—designed to prevent gear retraction on the ground—did not prevent the lever from being moved to the "UP" position. It was determined that during the high-speed phase of the landing roll, the aircraft was still light on its wheels, meaning the oleo struts had not compressed enough to activate the ground safety switches that would typically disable the retraction mechanism.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that the pilot inadvertently selected the landing gear lever to the "UP" position instead of the flap lever.
- The pilot was accustomed to flying various aircraft types where the placement of the flap and gear controls differs; in this specific model, the controls are in different relative positions compared to other contemporary light aircraft.
- A lack of concentration or focus immediately following the landing may have contributed to the error.
- The pilot may have been distracted by communication with a passenger on board during the ground roll.
- The aircraft's airspeed during the initial part of the landing roll provided enough lift to prevent the ground safety switches from engaging, allowing the gear to be retracted while the aircraft was still moving at speed.