Date:	Friday 24 May 2024
Time:	09:55
Type:	BRM Aero Bristell NG-5 RG
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	4X-HYS
MSN:	240/2016
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Rishon LeZion Airfield (LLRS) -   Israel
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	LLRS
Investigating agency:	AIAI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On May 24, 2024, a BRISTELL RG (4X-HYS) took off from Rishon LeZion Airstrip for a private flight to Megiddo. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, an undetected voltage drop began, leading to a significant RPM surge. Shortly thereafter, a total electrical failure occurred, causing both Garmin avionics screens to shut down and resulting in the loss of landing gear position indicators. The pilot, unaware of the underlying cause, decided to return to Rishon LeZion, manually deploying the landing gear using the emergency hydraulic release. A visual confirmation from the ground indicated that all three gears appeared to be down. However, during landing, the nose landing gear collapsed upon touchdown, causing the aircraft to skid on its belly and sustain damage to the propeller and fuselage. Both occupants exited safely without injuries.

The investigation revealed that the alternator circuit breaker had tripped before takeoff, preventing battery charging. As a result, the aircraft operated solely on battery power, which depleted after approximately 20 minutes, leading to a complete electrical failure. The propeller governor malfunctioned due to low voltage, triggering the uncommented RPM surge. Furthermore, the nose landing gear failed to fully lock during manual extension, likely due to insufficient hydraulic pressure and the pilot’s omission of the manufacturer’s recommended procedure, which involved reducing airspeed to assist gear lock. The accident was attributed to nose landing gear collapse due to incomplete locking, exacerbated by the electrical failure, cockpit monitoring omissions, and deviations from emergency procedures.

Israel Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, Aviation Safety Investigation Authority. (2024). Final Safety Investigation Report No. 16-24: Front Landing Gear Collapse Upon Landing.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-May-2024 06:17	Flights	Added
26-May-2024 06:19	ASN	Updated [Cn, Location, Destination airport, ]
10-Mar-2025 07:05	yakovbitt	Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]