Date: | Friday 19 November 2004 |
Time: | 11:50 |
Type: | de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 |
Owner/operator: | Zimex Aviation |
Registration: | HB-LOK |
MSN: | 658 |
Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
Total airframe hrs: | 20437 hours |
Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
Aircraft damage: | Substantial, repaired |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | Menzel Lejmat North -
Algeria
|
Phase: | Landing |
Nature: | Survey |
Departure airport: | Menzel Lejmat North |
Destination airport: | Menzel Lejmat North |
Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:The Twin Otter departed the dirt runway of the Menzel Lejmat North oil field near Hassi Messaoud. This caused severe damage to wing and propeller.
CAUSE (translated from French):
By examining the flight manual, the Commission noted that among the instructions to follow, is checking the position of the nose wheel after a take-off as well as before landing.
If the wheel is not centered after takeoff, it can gradually drift up to its full limit deflection.
This verification must be done by centering the control lever until it gets stuck in a centered position and resistance is felt.
On the other hand, there is no relationship between the guidance system of the nose wheel and the rudder pedals.
There is therefore a high probability that the accident is due to the maneuver, voluntarily or not, of the nose wheel in the landing phase in which only the use of the rudder is permitted.
This operation resulted in the deflection and wheel locking, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable.
Sources:
Scramble 308
Steven Vervaat
Images:
photo (c) anon; Menzel Lejmat North; November 2004
photo (c) Reinhard Schmidt, via Werner Fischdick; Zürich-Kloten Airport (ZRH/LSZH); June 1991
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |