What happened
On May 9, 2003, at 12:30 UTC, an L-200D Morava, registration OK-PLV, was performing a sightseeing flight within the Brno-Tuřany (LKTB) airport airspace. The aircraft was occupied by the pilot and three passengers.
Following landing on runway 2 and 8, the aircraft decelerated to approximately 60 km/h when the landing gear began to retract. The pilot attempted to rectify the situation by moving the landing gear lever to the extended position; however, despite hydraulic pressure being applied, the gear continued to retract. The aircraft subsequently struck the runway with its propellers, causing the engines to stop violently, and eventually came to rest on its belly.
There were no injuries to the pilot or the passengers. The incident caused significant damage to the aircraft, including damage to both propellers, the right main fuel tank, landing gear covers, and the tail section. Damage to the runway surface was also noted due to the impact of the right propeller.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation established that the aircraft was airworthy and all maintenance requirements were up to date. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear with excellent visibility (CAVOK), and the airport was fully operational. The investigation found that the mechanical landing gear indicators were functioning correctly both before and after the event.
During the examination, the pilot stated that the retraction was caused by a mistake in cockpit management, specifically a confusion between the flap lever and the landing gear lever.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was pilot inattention during the manipulation of the landing gear lever, which led to the unlocking of the gear's extended position.
- The pilot inadvertently misidentified the landing gear control for the flap control.
- The aircraft was in a fully airworthy condition at the time of the occurrence.