Twin-engine aircraft destruction following hard landing

No fatalities • Maracaibo-La Chinita, Venezuela • Landing (descent or approach)

A twin-engine aircraft sustained significant damage and caught fire after a hard landing, resulting in the loss of the airframe but no fatalities.

What happened

During the final approach and landing phase, a twin-engine aircraft experienced a heavy impact with the runway. The force of this landing was sufficient to cause the tail section of the airframe to detach from the main fuselage. Following the initial impact, the aircraft's landing gear failed, leading to a loss of the undercarriage.

After the gear collapsed, the aircraft slid for several dozen meters along the surface. The friction and mechanical stress during this excursion caused the aircraft to burst into flames. Despite the intensity of the fire, all five occupants managed to evacuate the aircraft safely before the fire consumed the wreckage. The aircraft was subsequently destroyed.

Findings

Preliminary observations suggest that the aircraft may have experienced an engine failure in the period immediately preceding the landing attempt. The sequence of structural failures, including the separation of the tail and the loss of the undercarriage, was a direct result of the high-impact landing.

Probable cause

An engine failure occurring shortly before landing likely led to a hard impact that caused structural failure and subsequent fire.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2015-04-25 Beechcraft 200 Super King Air accident near Maracaibo-La Chinita, Venezuela?

A twin-engine aircraft sustained significant damage and caught fire after a hard landing, resulting in the loss of the airframe but no fatalities.

Were there any fatalities in the 2015-04-25 Beechcraft 200 Super King Air accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2015-04-25 involved a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air, registration YV2803, operated by Servicio Autónomo de Transporte Aéreo - SATA, at Maracaibo-La Chinita, Venezuela.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

An engine failure occurring shortly before landing likely led to a hard impact that caused structural failure and subsequent fire.

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