What happened
Following departure from Lago Argentino Airport, the flight crew observed a red warning light on the cockpit panel indicating that the left main landing gear had not fully retracted. The crew performed a visual inspection, which led them to believe the left main gear was securely positioned within the wheel well. Based on this assessment, the decision was made to proceed to the destination at Río Gallegos.
During the approach phase, the left main gear failed to deploy. After unsuccessful attempts to manually extend the gear, the pilot elected to retract the remaining landing gear to facilitate a controlled landing. Shortly before the flare during short final, the crew shut down both engines and feathered the propellers. The aircraft type landed on its belly and slid for several dozen meters before coming to a stop. There were no injuries among the seven occupants on board, though the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
- The primary issue involved the failure of the left main landing gear to extend during the approach.
- Incomplete gear retraction was initially reported during the climb phase, which preceded the eventual landing gear malfunction.