Narrative:The undercarriage failed to deploy when selected down in preparation for landing at Delhi-Palam Airport (DEL), India.
The emergency manual system was used and the airplane landed normally. Taxiing at slow speed at the end of the runway, the pilot released the emergency manual system, forgetting that the automatic release system was not working. The main gear then folded back and the airplane came to rest with the fuselage resting on the tarmac.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: The pilot's inadequate knowledge of the undercarriage emergency systems. His action in moving the emergency undercarriage selector back to its normal position after having used it earlier for
emergency extension caused the undercarriage to retract.
A sticky solenoid which prevented the normal system from operating was a contributory factor to the accident.
Sources:
» Accidents to Indian registered aircraft during the year 1962 / Ministry of Transport and Communications, CAD, AIB
» Spider 19 - juli 1996
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Agra-Kheria Airport to Delhi-Palam Airport as the crow flies is 177 km (111 miles).
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.