What happened
On January 4, 2004, a Cessna 210-L Century, registration D-EBAM, was performing a passenger transport flight from Casarrubios Del Monte, Spain, to Faro, Portugal. While the flight plan designated Portimão as the alternate aerodrome, the pilot decided to land at Portimão Municipal Aerodrome before proceeding to the final destination.
During the landing roll, while the aircraft was decelerating, the pilot experienced a heavy vibration in the nose gear strut followed by a loud cracking sound. The pilot immediately relieved pressure on the nose wheel, but the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft came to a halt on the runway. All five occupants (one pilot and four passengers) evacuated the aircraft uninjured.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the physical wreckage. The investigation found that the aircraft's maintenance records were up to date, with the last 100-hour inspection completed in August 2003. The engine was sent for a shock load inspection following the event.
Investigators also examined the landing gear components. The company decided to remove both the nose and main landing gear and subject the hardware and bolts to a Magnaflux inspection for cracks, which revealed no defects in the inspected parts. However, the investigation noted that the maintenance report mentioned suspicions of previous "less smooth" landings. Additionally, the investigation revealed that the operator, SS Aviation, was not licensed by the INAC for passenger transport or aircraft rental activities at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the nose gear collapse was the failure of the nose gear retraction actuator bearing.
- The investigation considered that unreported hard landings on the nose gear may have contributed to the fracture of the actuator bearing, as the nose gear is not designed to withstand the same structural loads as the main gear.
- The aircraft exhibited some points of corrosion on the wings and engine cowlings.
- There was no identifiable reason for the pilot's decision to divert to the alternate aerodrome, as no technical or meteorological issues were detected during flight.