What happened
On July 2, 2021, at approximately 20:35 local time, a Cessna C750, registration SX-ECI, was taxiing from stand #7 at Paphos International Airport. Following instructions from the tower to proceed to runway 29 via taxiways K and H, the aircraft began a right turn at almost zero speed. During this maneuver, the pilot heard an unusual noise originating from the nose gear area, followed immediately by the illumination of the red nose gear unlock light. The nose landing gear then retracted, causing the aircraft's nose to rest directly on the apron.
The crew promptly shut down the engines, and all occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft without any injuries reported. While there were no casualties, the aircraft sustained significant structural damage. This included damage to the nose landing gear door assemblies, hinges, and the nose skin, which exhibited buckling and wrinkling. Additionally, the nose landing gear actuator and various hardware required replacement. The impact also caused damage to the belly fairing panels, internal frames, and antenna bond assemblies, as well as damage to the aileron power trim and feel components.