What happened
On April 20, 2001, at approximately 12:05 local time, a Cessna 152, registration EC-DKN, was performing a non-commercial pleasure flight at Sabadell Airport. During the takeoff roll on runway 31, the aircraft began accelerating normally until it suddenly veered left off the runway approximately 150 meters before the exit taxiway "B".
The aircraft continued to travel across the runway safety area and onto the parking apron. During this excursion, the aircraft'ed left wing struck the tail of a Morane Saulnier MS-893-E (EC-DFM) and subsequently collided with the fuselage of a Piper PA-28-140 (EC-DBP).
Upon arrival, emergency services found the engine still running. The pilot was found inside the cockpit; although conscious, the pilot was in a state of severe shock and was unresponsive to questioning. The engine was shut down, and the pilot was extracted from the aircraft without physical injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical condition of the aircraft and the pilot's response to the excursion. An inspection of the Cessna 152 confirmed that all flight controls were functioning correctly. However, investigators identified that the nose wheel shimmy damper was operating at low pressure. This deficiency caused vibrations in the nose wheel during the takeoff roll.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was nose wheel vibrations resulting from low pressure in the shimmy damper.
- The pilot experienced a state of nervousness or shock due to the vibrations, which prevented any corrective action from being taken to control the aircraft.
- The aircraft sustained damage to its propeller, left leading edge, and the central section of the empennage.
- The parked aircraft, EC-DFM and EC-DBP, sustained damage to their respective fuselages and tails.