Created Thursday, Nov 5th 2020 14:54Z, last updated Thursday, Nov 3rd 2022 19:56Z
A Baires Fly Swearingen SA-226 Metro III, registration LV-VDJ performing a charter flight from San Juan,SJ to Mendoza,MD (Argentina) with 11 passengers and 2 crew, veered right off runway 18 of Mendoza while landing at about 10:15L (13:15Z) and came to a stop with all gear off the runway, the right main gear collapsed. There were no injuries.
Argentina's JST reported: "[NOTICE] Fairchild SA227 metro III aircraft accident event matr. LV-VDJ occurred at the Gabrielli FJ International Station (Mendoza) at approx. 13.15hs UTC. Without injuries. JST Cordoba Headquarters intervenes."
Argentina's JST released their final report in Spanish only (Editorial note: to serve the purpose of global prevention of the repeat of causes leading to an occurrence an additional timely release of all occurrence reports in the only world spanning aviation language English would be necessary, a Spanish only or no release does not achieve this purpose as set by ICAO annex 13 and just forces many aviators to waste much more time and effort each in trying to understand the circumstances leading to the occurrence. Aviators operating internationally are required to read/speak English besides their local language, investigators need to be able to read/write/speak English to communicate with their counterparts all around the globe).
The report concludes the probable causes of the accident were:
- During the landing phase, the right main landing gear collapsed and
resulted in the aircraft exiting the runway on the right margin.
- The collapse of the right main landing gear resulted from the fracture of
both drag braces.
- According to the report issued by the intervening laboratory, there were no pre-existing cracks or pre-existing cracks or progressive advancement mechanisms that influenced the weakening of the above mentioned parts
- The fracture surfaces of both components exhibited characteristics of
ductile fracture characteristics, which suggest that these components were exposed to loads above the limits for the loads above the limits for which they were designed.
- The inner drag brace fractured in the first instance, which likely generated the external drag brace to not withstand the stress and fractured accordingly.
- The aircraft's CVR had the magnetic tape locked, which meant that it was not recording at the time of the event.
The JST reported the accident happened in daylight and good weather conditions ending a flight in visual meteorological conditions. The right main gear collapsed about 400 meters past the point of touchdown, the aircraft exited the runway's right edge about 740 meters past the point of touchdown. The crew reported the approach was flown by the first officer, the touchdown had been smooth.
The JST analysed that there had been no pre-existing condition weakening the structure of the drag braces. The fact, that the CVR tape was locked and prevented recording, meant that the exact cause of the drag brace failure could not be determined. The operator had complied with a service bulletin and a FAA airworthiness directive issued in year 2000 requiring mandatory inspections of the drag braces due to similiar failures earlier. That last inspection, required every 1000 flight hours, was last executed 47 flight hours and 33 cycles prior to the accident.
Related NOTAM:
A5924/20 NOTAMR A5923/20
Q) SAMF/QFALC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/3249S06847W005
A) SAME B) 2011051341 C) 2011051800 EST
E) AD CLSD
