What happened
On April 13, 2021, a private VFR flight was being conducted to ferry a Cessna TR182, registration OY-WHL, from Skive to a maintenance facility in Kolding/Vamdrup. During the approach to runway 19, the pilot received information from the aerodrome flight information service that the wind was 280 degrees at 18 knots.
Upon touchdown, immediately after the main wheels and subsequently the nosewheel made contact with the runway, intense vibrations occurred within the nose landing gear. The pilot attempted to use the nosewheel steering and wheel brakes to maintain the aircraft's path, but these efforts were unsuccessful. The aircraft veered to the right and exited the side of the runway approximately 400 meters from the threshold. The nosewheel and the right main gear sank into the soft ground, causing the propeller to strike the earth. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. Technical examination of the nosewheel revealed that the tire was flat due to a small hole in the inner tube, which caused the nitrogen pressure to leak. While investigators noted that two rivets were missing and two were loose on the nosewheel steering bracket, these were not considered contributing factors to the excursion.
Operational analysis examined the runway surface and weather. The runway was found to be wet at the time of landing. Additionally, the investigation noted that the passenger was not seated in a proper seat with a restraint system, which was a deviation from EASA Part-NCO regulations.
Findings
- The primary cause of the vibration was a low or near-zero tire pressure in the nosewheel, resulting from a leak in the inner tube.
- The intense vibrations in the nose landing gear, occurring alongside marginal crosswind conditions and a wet runway surface, prevented the pilot from maintaining directional control.
- The aircraft's nosewheel and right main gear impacted soft soil, leading to the propeller strike.