Cessna 337H Runway Excursion at Carriel Sur Aerodrome

Incident Overview and Location On March 21, 2023, at 00:45 local time, a Cessna 337H aircraft departed from Carriel Sur Aerodrome (SCIE) in Talcahuano, Chile, for a scheduled local night flight. During the landing phase on runway 20, the pilot in command lost directional control, causing the aircraft to depart the runway to the left and travel approximately 35 meters across the terrain before coming to a stop. ## Occupants and Injuries The aircraft was operated by a pilot in command, a co-pilot, and a systems operator. All three occupants were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft under their own power. The emergency locator transmitter did not emit a signal following the incident. ## Aircraft and Maintenance Details The aircraft, manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Inc. (now Textron Aviation Inc.), was a 1978 model with serial number 33701860 and 17,571.10 hours of service. It was powered by two Continental Aerospace Technologies IO-360-GB engines and equipped with McCauley propellers. The aircraft held a standard airworthiness certificate and had undergone its last inspection on March 10, 2023, at 17,526.60 hours of service. ## Damage and Investigation Findings The aircraft sustained damage to the fuselage, including a bent external camera support and a fractured vertical stabilizer cowl. The left wingtip showed wear, and the left main landing gear was deformed and detached. The right main tire exhibited wear, and both the left lower and right rear doors were deformed. The Trakka TC-300 sensor camera also sustained multiple exterior abrasions. Post-incident inspections revealed that the left main landing gear's downlock stop assembly was damaged, preventing the gear from being fully secured and the position switch from being pressed. This damage prevented the green landing gear down-and-locked light from illuminating when the pilot selected the gear-down position. No hydraulic leaks or electrical faults were found in the landing gear system. ## Meteorological and Operational Context The pilot filed a visual flight plan for the night operation, and weather conditions at the time were suitable for visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The investigation into the incident was ongoing at the time of the preliminary report.