What happened
On 7 June 1997, a BAC 1-11 525 FT operated by TAROM was completing a scheduled flight from Bucharest to Stockholm/Arlanda airport. During the visual approach to runway 2 and the subsequent landing, the aircraft encountered turbulence and wind gusts from the south.
While the initial touchdown occurred on the left main gear with the nose in a high position, a strong wind gust caused the right main gear to touch down, followed by a heavy impact of the nose gear against the runway. Following the impact, the pilot attempted to use engine reverse thrust and braking, but the nose wheel steering became non-functional. The aircraft subsequently veered to the right, leaving the runway at approximately 60 knots and sliding onto the grass field. There were no injuries among the 20 passengers and 3 crew members, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
The Swedish Board of Accident Investigation examined the wreckage and analyzed data from the flight and sound recorders. Technical inspections of the nose gear and its support assembly revealed a break in the shock-absorber strut housing. Metallurgical examinations conducted by experts in Sweden and England confirmed that the component was manufactured and maintained according to specifications and possessed no pre-existing defects. The investigation determined that the failure was the direct result of structural overloading.
Analysis of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) showed that the aircraft's initial ground contact involved high vertical acceleration and a pitch-up attitude. This was followed by two subsequent bounces, both of which involved high vertical acceleration and a pitch-down attitude, leading to the nose gear striking the runway with extreme force.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the collapse of the nose gear due to excessive loading during the second touchdown, which occurred with the nose wheel hitting the runway first after two bounces.
- The aircraft was operated with a high sink rate during the initial touchdown.
- A significant contributing factor was poor Cockpit Resource Management (CRM). The cockpit atmosphere was tense and characterized by the commander'1s visible irritation and aggressive reprimands toward the first officer, who was undergoing route training. This breakdown in communication and professional conduct likely increased the trainee's stress and negatively impacted the commander's landing performance.