Date:	Friday 1 January 2016
Time:	16:25
Type:	Piper PA-31-310 Navajo B
Owner/operator:	Excelfoot Ltd c/o MLM Solutions
Registration:	G-EEJE
MSN:	31-825
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Accident
Location:	Fadmoor Airfield, North Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Sturgate Airfield, Libcolnshire
Destination airport:	Fadmoor Airfield, North Yorkshire (EG19)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, G-EEJE: Damaged in an Emergency landing with main gears retracted at Fadmoor Airfield on 1 January 2016. The incidental was deemed serious enough to warrant an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report

"The pilot had flown the aircraft from Sturgate Airfield to Fadmoor in order to uplift some fuel. When he selected the 'landing gear down' whilst in the circuit to land, only the nosewheel green ‘down-locked’ light illuminated whilst the red 'gear not locked' light illuminated and the warning horn sounded continuously. Several attempts were made to recycle the landing gear but the selector lever would not move out of the neutral position.

Attempts to extend using the emergency procedure also failed and the pilot contacted the airfield owner to discuss preparations for a landing with the main gears retracted and the nosewheel extended.

The subsequent emergency landing was successfully executed on the grass runway and minimal damage was incurred. The pilot had feathered both propellers and placed the mixtures in idle cut-off prior to touchdown.

=Examination of the aircraft=
G-EEJE was recovered by lifting the fuselage using a farm vehicle and two slings. It could be seen that the mainwheels were fully retracted and the doors were closed and undamaged. The gear selector was placed in the down position without difficulty and, using the emergency hand pump, it was possible to lower the main gears and achieve down lock as normal.

The aircraft was then towed off the runway and parked. Since then, there has been no formal diagnostic work carried out but the aircraft’s maintainers, who have considerable experience of the Navajo type, advise that they have never come across the same set of circumstances which seem to feature in this case"

=Damage sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Damage to one propeller blade and lower aft fuselage". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, being sold on to its next owner (the fourth UK owner) on 11 October 2017

Fadmoor Airfield is located on top of Boonhill Common, just North West of Gillamoor, and 3 nautical miles North West of Kirkbymoorside (5 nautical miles North of Wombleton, North Yorkshire)

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/56f16be440f0b60385000024/Piper_PA-31-310_Navajo_G-EEJE_04-16.pdf
2. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-EEJE.html
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/OH-PNG.html
4. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/HA-BIL.html
5. https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/G-EEJE
6. https://www.aeroinside.com/airport/eg19/kirbymoorside-fadmoor-airfield
7. https://airportguide.com/airport/info/EG19

This Piper PA-31-310 Navajo B was built in 1972, and first registered in Finland in 1972 as OH-PNG. It was first registered in the UK as G-EEJE on 18 May 2001. The aircraft passed through the hands of five owners as G-EEJE between May 2001 and January 2019. After the death of the fifth owner, the aircraft was sold on, and the registration cancelled (with the airframe being de-registered) on 30 October 2020 as \"Transferred to another country or authority - HUNGARY\". The aircraft was re-registered in Hungary in November 2020 as HE-BIL

G-EEJE: Piper PA-31-310 Navjo at Birmingham Airport (BHX/EGBB), 26 July 2015.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
11-May-2024 06:51	Dr. John Smith	Added
11-May-2024 06:51	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]