AAIB investigation to Socata TB20 Trinidad, G-JDEE
Partial landing gear collapse while landing, North Moor Airfield, 16 July 2014.
Summary:
The pilot reported that he was landing on Runway 27, a 550 m long grass runway. Conditions were clear, with a 5 kt wind from the southwest; the grass was damp from overnight dew. He had flown into North Moor twice before and was familiar with electricity cables on the approach, 270 m from the runway threshold. He described his approach as slightly high over the cables, which, when combined with a long flare, resulted in the aircraft touching down about half way along the runway. The pilot commenced braking and, as he approached the end of the runway, still braking, attempted to turn the aircraft. The aircraft started to skid and the pilot straightened the aircraft to correct the skid. However, as the aircraft straightened the left main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft stopped on the runway just beyond the painted numbers designating Runway 09.
The pilot reported that the marks on the runway suggested that a skid of 10 to 20 m had preceded the landing gear collapse. He commented that the grass was wetter than he had realised and, with hindsight, he should have gone around as his margin for error was too small.
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