What happened
On August 26, 197 and 2, a Beech 35 Bonanza, registration F-BMCO, was operating a flight from Lyon-Bron to Geneva. The aircraft, carrying the pilot and his son as a passenger, landed on runway 23 at Geneva-Cointrin at 16:10 local time. After taxiing approximately 200 meters, the aircraft entered taxiway 4 at an estimated speed of 5 km/h. During this maneuver, the right main landing gear suddenly collapsed, causing the aircraft to undergo a ground loop.
There were no injuries to the occupants, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage. No damage to ground infrastructure was reported.
The investigation
The investigation examined the mechanical condition of the aircraft and the pilot's actions. The pilot held a valid private pilot license with 650 total flight hours, 490 of which were on this specific aircraft type. The aircraft's weight and center of gravity were within permissible limits, and all required certifications were in order.
Technical examination of the landing gear revealed that the nose gear retraction linkage had failed due to an overload, and the right main gear retraction linkage was deformed on both sides. However, the investigation found that the retraction mechanism, the hydraulic motor, and the landing gear position warning systems were all functioning normally prior to the incident. No pre-existing technical defects related to the accident were identified.
Findings
- The investigation found no evidence of mechanical failure or pre-existing technical defects that would have caused the gear to collapse spontaneously.
- The primary cause of the incident was the inadvertent retraction of the landing gear via improper cockpit manipulation, possibly due to confusion with the flap controls or an accidental movement of the lever.