Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 21 September 1963
Aircraft Type: Vickers 651 Valetta C.1
Owner/operator: The Decca Navigator Co Ltd
Registration Number: G-APKR
Location: London-Gatwick Airport (LGW) – ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: Starboard Main Undercarriage LegStarboard Main Undercarriage Leg
Category: Accident
An aircraft experienced a sudden loss of starboard green light during approach, leading to a starboard side skid retraction and runway excursion. The aircraft returned to London-Gatwick Airport after a two-hour flight.An aircraft experienced a sudden loss of starboard green light during approach, leading to a starboard side skid retraction and runway excursion. The aircraft returned to London-Gatwick Airport after a two-hour flight.

Description

After a flight of some two hours, made for the purpose of testing radio navigation equipment, the aircraft returned to London-Gatwick Airport, U.K.. Before, and during, the flight, undercarriage operation was normal, as was the functioning of the undercarriage light and horn warning system. During the approach, the undercarriage extended normally, and the green lights indicated that it was locked down. Some 50 yds. after touch down, the aircraft began to sink on the starboard side and the captain noticed that the starboard green light was no longer showing. There were, however, no reds, and the horn was not sounding. The starboard main undercarriage leg eventually retracted and the aircraft swung off the runway to the right, on to the grass.

Primary Cause

Possible malfunction of the starboard green light indicator system, possibly due to a sudden change in electrical load or a component failure.Possible malfunction of the starboard green light indicator system, possibly due to a sudden change in electrical load or a component failure.

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