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Sywell Aerodrome, Hall Farm, Sywell, Northamptonshire, England -
United Kingdom
Phase:
Landing
Nature:
Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:
Northampton/Sywell Aerodrome (ORM/EGBK)
Destination airport:
Northampton/Sywell Aerodrome (ORM/EGBK)
Investigating agency:
AAIB
Confidence Rating:
Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative: ML407 was involved in a landing accident during the rollout after landing at Sywell Aerodrome, Hall Farm, Sywell, Northamptonshire, today (Thursday 15 September 2016). No one was injured. The Spitfire was recovered to the Air Leasing hangar at Sywell, and is undergoing repairs. The aircraft had just completed the second passenger flight of the day and had carried out a normal 3-point landing, when at about 35 kt. the port wing started to drop, the pilot attempted to correct this but the aircraft yawed off the runway to the left onto the grass, coming to rest on its nose. Heavy damage was caused to the propeller with minor damage to the engine cowls, landing gear doors and port wing tip. Conclusion The collapse of the left landing gear was caused by a failure of the landing gear actuator chevron seals, which jammed the actuator before the landing gear had reached the locked position. The reason for the failure of the chevron seals purchased in 2013 could not be determined. The modification to the landing gear indicator panel should minimise the possibility of a pilot being unaware of a failure of the landing gear to achieve a locked position.