What happened
On May 6, 2022, at approximately 12:30 local time, a Beechcraft 200 operating as an air ambulance was conducting a flight from Diego Aracena Airport (SCDA) to Arturo Merino Benítez Airport (SCEL) in Pudahuel, Chile. The aircraft was carrying a crew of two and three passengers.
During the final approach to runway 17L, the crew heard an abnormal noise while extending the landing gear. The pilot attempted to cycle the gear and activate the emergency extension system, but neither action successfully secured the gear in the down position. After performing a low pass to visually confirm the gear's status, the pilot declared an emergency.
Upon landing on runway 17L, both main landing gear legs retracted. This caused the aircraft to tilt backward, resting solely on the nose gear and sliding along the runway. The aircraft traveled 440 meters along the pavement, resulting in significant damage to the fuselage, flaps, and landing gear components. All five occupants escaped the incident without injuries.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the wreckage and the aircraft's maintenance history. The inspection of the aircraft revealed significant structural damage, including deformed fuselage frames and skin, as well as worn and broken control cables and pulleys for the rudder. The internal flaps on both wings also showed structural deformation from contact with the runway.
Regarding the landing gear, the investigation found a fractured locking hook and a deformed attachment pin on the right main gear leg. On the left main gear leg, the actuator rod was deformed and the internal actuator support was fractured.
Maintenance records showed that the aircraft had undergone a Phase IV inspection in March 2022, which included functional tests of the landing gear retraction system, with no discrepancies noted at that time. However, investigators found that the "WARN LANDING GEAR" circuit breaker had tripped, indicating an electrical overload within the landing gear system.
Findings
- The main landing gear failed to remain locked in the extended position during touchdown.
- An electrical overload occurred in the landing gear system, evidenced by the tripped warning circuit breaker.
- The right main landing gear suffered a fractured locking hook and a deformed attachment pin.
- The left main landing and actuator components suffered structural fractures and deformation.
- The aircraft's nose gear remained extended and secured throughout the event.