A newly published Air Accidents Investigation Branch report has revealed that a Beechcraft Bonanza suffered a complete engine power loss moments after takeoff from Norwich Airport, forcing the pilot to carry out an emergency landing during which the aircraft’s landing gear collapsed.
A Beechcraft B36TC Bonanza, registration N5073C, was involved in an incident during takeoff from runway 27 at Norwich Airport, after the aircraft’s engine lost power in the seconds following lift-off. At the time, the airport said the aircraft had developed “a small fire in its engine on take off,” and a photograph of the aftermath appeared to show the aircraft having come to rest on the runway with its landing gear up.
What the AAIB investigation found
The incident was examined under a Record Only Investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, with its final report published on 9 October 2025. According to the AAIB’s summary, the engine lost all power shortly after lift-off, just as the pilot was retracting the landing gear at approximately 100ft above aerodrome level. In response, the pilot pitched the aircraft for best glide speed, switched on the auxiliary fuel boost pump, and attempted to lower the landing gear again. However, the gear failed to reach its fully locked position before the aircraft touched down, causing it to collapse on landing. The aircraft then slid along the runway before coming to a stop. The pilot told investigators that, even after activating the auxiliary fuel pump, the engine’s fuel pressure reading remained at zero.
Damage to the aircraft
The AAIB report confirms that the undercarriage collapsed and that the aircraft slid along the runway before stopping, findings that point to significant damage to the aircraft’s undercarriage and underside. A Record Only Investigation is generally used by the AAIB for less severe incidents, where a full field investigation is not considered necessary, though the published summary still provides a detailed account of the sequence of events leading up to the landing gear collapse.
