What happened
On the afternoon of November 13, 2020, a Mooney M20J, registered as HB-DBU, was performing a private VFR circuit flight from the Speck-Fehraltorf airfield (LSZK). The flight included one passenger. During the landing phase on runway 12, the landing gear collapsed shortly after the aircraft touched down. Following the collapse, the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a halt approximately 400 meters beyond the runway threshold. While the pilot and passenger sustained no injuries, the aircraft suffered heavy damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the cockpit configuration and witness accounts to determine the state of the gear during the approach. The pilot reported that the landing gear had been extended during the base leg and that the cockpit indicators confirmed the gear was down. The passenger corroborated this observation. However, an eyewitness observing the final approach noted that the aircraft appeared to be approaching without the gear extended. Post-accident inspections of the Mooney M20J revealed no evidence of pre-existing mechanical defects. The physical damage to the airframe suggested that the gear was not in a fully extended and locked position at the moment of touchdown, though the exact position of the gear during impact could not be definitively determined.
Findings
- The landing gear collapse was likely caused by the gear being insufficiently extended or locked at touchdown.
- The investigation could not rule out the possibility that the gear was extended too late in the landing sequence.
- No prior technical malfunctions were identified in the aircraft's maintenance history.