ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 283826
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| Date: | Friday 1 July 2022 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Revolution Aviation RAI-6 Foxtrot |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | ZU-IKT |
| MSN: | F-014 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 37 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Brits Aerodrome (FABS) -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Potchefstroom Airport (PCF/FAPS) |
| Brits (FABS) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The aircraft's nose landing gear collapsed after a shimmy developed on landing at Brits Aerodrome (FABS).
According to the pilot, before departing FAPS, he conducted a pre-flight inspection on the aircraft and nothing abnormal was detected. The take-off from FAPS was uneventful and the aircraft climbed to an altitude of 6500 feet and routed to FABS, cruising at 200 miles per hour. Upon arrival at FABS, which is unmanned, the pilot blindly broadcasted his intention on frequency 124.2 MHz and joined Runway 02 for a full stop landing.
After touchdown a shimmy developed and the nose landing gear subsequently broke off above the fork area. The aircraft sustained substantial damages but none of the occupants were injured. The duration of the flight was approximately 25 minutes.
Probable Cause as stated by the S.A. CAA:
"The aircraft descended at a high angle-of-attack, which caused the nose to slam down; this was followed shortly by a nose wheel shimmy. The pitch attitude remained flat, which indicated that no attempt was made to reduce the weight on the nose wheel. As a result, the front gear folded backward, and the aircraft skidded on its front wheel fork assembly."
The pilot had a dissenting opinion, stating that "the aircraft had a total normal and standard approach and landing, and the aircraft landed normally on its rear main gear, as can be clearly seen in the video footage of the landing.
It is also very evident from the ongoing previous wear damage to the front leg extension, severely worn castle nut and belville washers that were found at the point where the nose gear was lowered on the runway, that the front gear leg was inadequate and had been bending and wearing on landing over an extended period. It is simply impossible that the wear to the castle nut, leg extension and Belville washers could have occurred within a few meters of the point of landing and in one landing The Leg used on the aircraft has since been found to have been inadequate and has been replaced by a far stronger and thicker leg, suitable for the 300hp engine fitted to the aircraft.
Videos of previous landings of the aircraft have also shown that the front leg was bending on even totally unloaded landing, and that smoke can be seen several times in one landing as a result of the front leg extension hitting the asphalt.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
CAA S.A.
Images:
Screenshot from actual video footage, together with pictures of the severely worn Leg, Crown Nut and Belville Washers that were found at the point on the runway where the front gear was lowered.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Feb-2024 07:49 | Kevin_ZA | Updated [Photo] |
| 14-Feb-2024 07:49 | ASN | Updated [[Photo]] |
| 14-Feb-2024 09:09 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report] |
| 14-Feb-2024 12:33 | Kevin_ZA | Updated [Narrative, Photo] |
| 14-Feb-2024 12:34 | ASN | Updated [[Narrative, Photo]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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