What happened
On 14 February 2015, a Tecnam P2002-JF, registration EI-JPK, was performing a general aviation flight at Coonagh Airfield, Co. Limerick. After completing two successful circuits, the pilot attempted a third landing on Runway 28. The landing itself was uneventful, with the aircraft touching down within the first third of the runway.
As the aircraft decelerated using hand-lever braking, the pilot noticed an issue with the nose wheel, suspecting a puncture. The aircraft began to drift toward the left side of the runway. Because the aircraft was traveling at a low ground speed, the rudder provided insufficient authority, and the nose wheel steering became unresponsive. Approximately 280 meters along the runway, the left main wheel and nose wheel moved onto the soft grass verge. The nose wheel subsequently dug into the soft ground, causing it to collapse and separate from the aircraft. The resulting nose-down pitch caused the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in the loss of one blade. There were no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
The investigation examined the condition of the aircraft' and the airfield environment. While the pilot had confirmed that all tires were properly inflated during the pre-flight inspection, an examination of the separated nose wheel revealed that the tire had deflated and the bead had slipped inward on the rim. The investigation also noted the narrow width of the runway and the soft nature of the grass verge adjacent to the asphalt.
Findings
- The nose wheel tire likely deflated during the final stages of the flight or during the landing rollout.
- The loss of tire pressure compromised the structural rigidity of the tire, making directional control difficult.
- The loss of nose wheel steering effectiveness, combined with a lack of rudder authority at low speeds and the narrow runway width, led to the excursion onto the grass.
- The collapse of the nose wheel and subsequent contact between the propeller and the ground caused the damage to the aircraft.