Final Report Released on Toll Freight Aviation Metro VH-UZA Belly Landing at Brisbane Airport in 2012

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its final report into an incident where a Toll Freight Aviation Metro III VH-UZA made a wheels-up landing at Brisbane Airport in the early hours of Wednesday 15 February 2012.

Toll Metro III VH-UZA at Rockhampton Airport in 2011  (File photo)

The ATSB reported that VH-UZA was operating a post-maintenance acceptance flight in the circuit at Brisbane Airport with two crew on board. "On selection of the landing gear handle to the down position, the landing gear would not extend. After unsuccessful attempts to extend the landing gear in both normal and emergency gear extension modes, the crew decided to conduct a wheels-up landing. At about 0230 Eastern Standard Time the aircraft landed along the centre-line of runway 19. The crew evacuated without injury and the aircraft sustained substantial damage."

Photo Source:  ATSB

After an investigation, the ATSB found that:  "... an electrical wire to the landing gear selector valve had separated at a connector adjacent to its terminal preventing normal operation of the landing gear to the down position. The investigation also identified an out of rig condition in the landing gear emergency extension system, which prevented correct operation of that system. Factors including the maintenance practices by a number of personnel and inconsistent maintenance documentation contributed to the existence of the defects."

"As a result, the aircraft manufacturer advised that, as a result of this occurrence, re-routing requirements for the landing gear selector valve electrical wiring loom in the Metro aircraft have been distributed to all Metro operators through a Metro Global advisory publication.  Toll also carried out a fleet-wide check of the landing gear on its Metro aircraft and rectified any defects found. The operator also re-routed the electrical wiring loom to the landing gear selector valve. In addition, the operator amended the pilot’s quick reference handbook and the Metro phase inspection worksheets and issued an engineering memorandum to all aircraft maintenance personnel detailing the operator’s requirements with regards to following standard procedures and approved data for maintenance tasks."

CQ Plane Spotting Blog referring post from 2012 - http://cqplanespotting.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/toll-freight-aviation-metro-vh-uza.html