What happened
On 18 March 2014, a Beechcraft Baron B55, registration ZS-KCP, was conducting a private pleasure flight in the airspace surrounding Vryheid Aerodrome in KwaZulu Natal. The flight, which included the pilot and four passengers, was returning to the aerodrome for landing when the pilot initiated landing procedures.
During the approach, the pilot observed that the left main landing gear failed to extend, noting the absence of the three green lights that confirm the gear is down and locked. This malfunction was visually confirmed by another pilot observing the aircraft from the ground. After unsuccessful attempts to manually extend the gear, the pilot elected to burn off the remaining fuel to reduce weight before performing a controlled wheels-up landing. The aircraft touched down on the grass adjacent to Runway 11. The impact caused both propellers to break off and resulted in substantial damage to the engine, propellers, and the aircraft's belly.
The investigation
An investigation into the incident examined the mechanical state of the landing gear system and the aircraft's maintenance history. Investigators found that the left main landing gear remained jammed in the up-and-locked position. Post-accident inspections by the recovery team revealed that the main gear extension rod had suffered damage due to compression overload.
While the maintenance organization had followed recommended procedures and the aircraft had undergone a periodic inspection less than 30 hours prior to the accident, the investigation noted that the extension rod damage was consistent with being subjected to unusual compression and tensile forces over a period of time. Additionally, the recovery team observed that the up-lock block was positioned on the wrong side of the up-lock roller, though the exact cause of the up-lock release failure could not be definitively determined.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a wheels-up landing resulting from the failure of the left main landing gear to extend.
- The failure of the extension rod was attributed to compression forces acting upon the component.
- A possible failure in the release of the up-lock block contributed to the gear malfunction.
- The pilot and all four passengers sustained no injuries during the event.