Narrative:
The GAF Nomad aircraft, registered VH-ATO, owned and operated by Bayswater Road Ltd, departed Buka Airport, conducting an aerial survey under VFR. The pilot-in-command was the sole occupant.
The pilot reported that when doing the pre-landing checks the landing gear failed to extend. He attempted to deploy the landing gear using the emergency system (which consists in a manual pump), but the handle of the manual pump broke after three to four pumps. The pilot decided to perform a landing in the grassy flight strip, which was about 32 metres to the right of the sealed runway centerline.
There was significant damage to both landing-gear pods and the nose forward of the nose locker. The landing gear doors had significant skin damage and were not aligned with the pods. The nose cone was punctured and torn on the underside. The lower attachment points of both wings struts came into contact with the landing-gear pods and fracturing the pods side skins. The trailing skin on the left lower strut was bent.
AIC comment:
The landing gear system was examined including the electrical wiring. The wire to the up-lock switch on the right land gear had fractured and separated, rendering the normal landing gear extension system inoperative.
Excessive force due to the resistance of the locked-up landing gear extension motor during the pumping to extend the gear manually, likely contributed to the overload failure of the handle.
Forced landing outside airport
accident date: 08-12-2017
type: GAF Nomad N.22C
registration: VH-ATO
accident date: 08-12-2017
type: GAF Nomad N.22C
registration: VH-ATO
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 8 December 2017 |
| Time: | 0.52144598960876 |
| Type: |  GAF Nomad N.22C |
| Operator: | Bayswater Road Ltd. |
| Registration: | VH-ATO |
| MSN: | 108 |
| First flight: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 11053 |
| Engines: | 2 Allison 250-B17C |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Buka Airport (BUA) ( Papua New Guinea)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Survey/research |
| Departure airport: | Buka Airport (BUA/AYBK), Papua New Guinea |
| Buka Airport (BUA/AYBK), Papua New Guinea |
The GAF Nomad aircraft, registered VH-ATO, owned and operated by Bayswater Road Ltd, departed Buka Airport, conducting an aerial survey under VFR. The pilot-in-command was the sole occupant.
The pilot reported that when doing the pre-landing checks the landing gear failed to extend. He attempted to deploy the landing gear using the emergency system (which consists in a manual pump), but the handle of the manual pump broke after three to four pumps. The pilot decided to perform a landing in the grassy flight strip, which was about 32 metres to the right of the sealed runway centerline.
There was significant damage to both landing-gear pods and the nose forward of the nose locker. The landing gear doors had significant skin damage and were not aligned with the pods. The nose cone was punctured and torn on the underside. The lower attachment points of both wings struts came into contact with the landing-gear pods and fracturing the pods side skins. The trailing skin on the left lower strut was bent.
Probable Cause:
AIC comment:
The landing gear system was examined including the electrical wiring. The wire to the up-lock switch on the right land gear had fractured and separated, rendering the normal landing gear extension system inoperative.
Excessive force due to the resistance of the locked-up landing gear extension motor during the pumping to extend the gear manually, likely contributed to the overload failure of the handle.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Gear-up landingForced landing outside airport
Photos
accident date: 08-12-2017
type: GAF Nomad N.22C
registration: VH-ATO
accident date: 08-12-2017
type: GAF Nomad N.22C
registration: VH-ATO
Map
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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