AAIB investigation to Sequoia Falco F8L, G-FATE
Gear up landing, Wycombe Airpark, Buckinghamshire, 12 September 2018.
Summary:
The pilot was completing some circuits as part of re-validating his SEP class rating. The first landing was “hard” so the pilot and instructor decided to taxi to a holding point and satisfy themselves that the aircraft was handling satisfactorily and the brakes were operational. There were no indications to suggest that there was any damage, so the intended exercises were resumed.
After takeoff, the landing gear was selected up and a normal circuit commenced. Both the pilot and instructor were satisfied that the landing gear had operated correctly. The pilot selected the landing gear down in preparation for landing and flew a normal approach. He flared the aircraft and as it settled onto the runway, he realised that the landing gear was not extended. The aircraft landed on its belly and skidded down the runway, coming to rest on the paved surface (Figure 1).
Examination of the aircraft after the accident found that the nose gear strut had deformed, likely because of the initial hard landing. This had caused the undercarriage to jam once it had been retracted.
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