Nose landing gear actuator detachment

Safety advisory notice

To operators of Diamond DA42 aircraft

Detachment of the actuator from the nose landing gear leg may result in flight control interference.

What happened

On 29 April 2026, a pilot and instructor commenced a training flight in a Diamond DA42 twin‑engine aircraft at Parafield Airport, South Australia. After take-off, the nose landing gear (NLG) remained extended after the main gear was retracted. The aircraft veered left, before it banked left wing down and began a steep descent. The aircraft subsequently collided with a hangar, fatally injuring the pilot and instructor. Nine people were reported to be taken to hospital.

Why did it happen

Onsite aircraft wreckage analysis found that the NLG actuator rod end had fractured, with preliminary ATSB examination identifying indications of progressive (fatigue) cracking. The ATSB identified 2 Diamond Aircraft Industries (DAI) mandatory service bulletins, issued in 2013 (MSB 42‑099/1, also published in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) airworthiness directive (AD) 2013-0121) and 2019 (MSB 42-136/1, also published in EASA AD 2019-0066), which described the potential for an NLG actuator to become separated from the gear leg and interfere with the nose wheel steering/rudder control mechanism. In one instance, it was reported this interference forced the rudder control into a left-hand deflection, which was rectified by the pilot re-extending the landing gear, after which full rudder control was regained. 

Safety advisory notice

AO-2026-074-SAN-001: The ATSB encourages operators of Diamond DA42 aircraft to review the Diamond Aircraft Industries mandatory service bulletins, and associated airworthiness bulletins, and be aware that there is the potential for a fractured NLG actuator to interfere with the rudder controls during landing gear retraction.

Considering all options

While there are many reasons that pilots may experience difficulty with directional control on take-off, including an engine failure, an unusual reason to consider is flight control mechanism interference. Re‑extending the landing gear after take-off would not be a usual action considered by pilots, but as noted in the previous occurrence, this unexpected response allowed the pilot to regain aircraft control in this instance.

Safety advisory notice video

Read more about this ATSB investigation: Collision with terrain involving Diamond DA42, VH-YQP, Parafield Airport, South Australia, on 29 April 2026