What happened
On an early morning scheduled courier flight from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, a Fairchild Metro SA227-AC operated by SpeedAir 905 arrived at Goose Bay for landing. The flight, carrying 2000 pounds of cargo, approached Runway 08 via an instrument landing system. At the time of arrival, the runway surface was approximately 90 per cent covered in one inch of snow, and visibility was limited to half a mile due to snow and drifting snow.
At 0456 Atlantic standard time, the aircraft touched down on the centerline at approximately 111 knots. Shortly after the nosewheel contacted the runway, the aircraft began to veer sharply to the right. The captain attempted to maintain directional control using full left rudder and applied reverse thrust; however, because the aircraft had just touched down, the reverse thrust mode was not yet available. The aircraft drifted off the runway surface and eventually struck a hard-packed snowbank. The two crew members evacuated the aircraft safely, and while the aircraft sustained substantial damage, there were no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's nosewheel steering system, the runway conditions, and the crew's response. Technical analysis of the steering system revealed no mechanical or electrical malfunctions; the system was functioning normally and was set to a castering mode during the high-speed portion of the landing. Radar and flight data confirmed a stable approach and a correct touchdown speed.
Investigators also reviewed the aircraft's documentation and training materials. It was noted that the phenomenon of "negative castering"—where a nosewheel is forced into a hard-over position—was not addressed in the aircraft's flight manual, emergency checklists, or pilot training programs. Furthermore, the investigation found that the emergency response was delayed by four minutes because the crew did not communicate the situation to the tower immediately following the evacuation.
Findings
- Directional control was lost due to the negative castering of the nosewheel, likely triggered by snow accumulating in front of the nosewheel assembly during the landing roll.
- The combination of a crosswind and the contaminated runway surface provided the necessary conditions to disturb the nosewheel and initiate the castering event.
- The crew was unaware of the risks associated with negative castering, as the phenomenon is not documented in the aircraft's operational or emergency procedures.
- The emergency response was hindered by a lack of immediate communication from the aircraft to the tower after the accident.