Landing gear failure leads to aircraft fire during landing in Mato Grosso

Casualties unknown • SÃO JOSÉ DO XINGU, MT, BR

A Beechcraft 58 sustained substantial damage and caught fire after its landing gear collapsed during an approach to an unregistered landing strip in Brazil.

What happened

On July 7, 2016, at approximately 13:00 UTC, a Beechcraft 58, registration PR-VCC, was performing a private passenger transport flight in the rural area of São José do Xingu, Mato Grosso. The aircraft departed from an improvised landing strip in the same municipality, bound for an unregistered landing site at Fazenda 3R.

During the landing sequence, the aircraft experienced a significant mechanical failure. The right main landing gear assembly broke and separated from the airframe, while the left main gear torque link also fractured. This structural failure caused the aircraft to veer off the left side of the runway. As the aircraft exited the paved surface, the left wing collided with a fence, which subsequently ignited a fire. All five occupants—the pilot and four passengers—successfully evacuated the aircraft after it came to a complete stop. All individuals remained uninjured, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The investigation

CENIPA investigators examined the wreckage and the landing site, noting that the landing occurred at an unregistered and unapproved aerodrome. The investigation faced significant obstacles as the accident scene had been modified and the aircraft moved without authorization from the aeronautical authority. Furthermore, the exact condition of the runway surface could not be determined due to these alterations, preventing investigators from assessing whether surface irregularities, such as potholes or uneven terrain, contributed to the gear failure.

Due to the identified violations of aeronautical legislation regarding the use of unregistered aerodromes and the unauthorized alteration of the accident scene, the authorities decided to interrupt the investigation, as the findings were deemed unlikely to yield new safety prevention data.

Probable cause

The landing gear failure and subsequent fire were precipitated by the use of an unregistered landing strip and the structural failure of the main landing gear components during touchdown.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2016-07-07 aircraft accident near SÃO JOSÉ DO XINGU, MT, BR?

A Beechcraft 58 sustained substantial damage and caught fire after its landing gear collapsed during an approach to an unregistered landing strip in Brazil.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2016-07-07 involved a aircraft, registration PRVCC, at SÃO JOSÉ DO XINGU, MT, BR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The landing gear failure and subsequent fire were precipitated by the use of an unregistered landing strip and the structural failure of the main landing gear components during touchdown.

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