What happened
On July 9, 2019, a single-occupant JMB Aircraft VL-3, registered D-MPCS, was performing a private VFR flight from Saarmund, Germany, to Locarno, Switzerland. During the landing sequence on runway 26R at Locarno Airport, the pilot confirmed that the landing gear and flaps were extended, with all cockpit indicators showing the gear was locked in the down position.
The aircraft touched down on its main gear as planned. However, as the pilot applied the wheel brakes, the nose gear began to collapse. In an attempt to restore hydraulic pressure to the system and prevent further collapse, the pilot briefly toggled the electric gear selector. Despite this effort, the nose gear continued to buckle, causing the propeller to strike the runway. The aircraft slid along the pavement on its forward fuselage before coming to a halt. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without injury, though no other persons were involved.
The investigation
Following the incident, investigators examined the aircraft's landing gear assembly and hydraulic systems. The inspection revealed that the nose gear mechanism was not properly locked. Specifically, the knee joint of the extension mechanism had not been deflected past its dead center point, meaning the gear was not mechanically locked in the extended position.
Physical damage was noted on the hydraulic cylinder control area, where components were found to be bent. Additionally, the emergency gear extension lever had been displaced from its normal position, and its retaining wire had snapped due to the high hydraulic pressure that built up during the collapse.