What happened
A private flight consisting of one pilot and five passengers departed from Panama City-Marcos A. Gelabert Airport at 07:40 local time, bound for Contadora Island. The flight proceeded without incident until the arrival phase. During the approach to runway 35, the twin engine airplane touched down at approximately 92 knots.
Upon making contact with the runway, the pilot began applying the brakes. During this deceleration phase, the aircraft began drifting toward the left side of the runway. The left main gear tire made contact with a component of the runway edge lighting system, which resulted in the immediate deflation of the tire. This impact caused the aircraft to continue its leftward trajectory. As the runway end approached, the pilot steered the aircraft off the paved surface to the left. The aircraft eventually came to a stop after colliding with trees. The impact caused the aircraft to be damaged beyond repair, though all six occupants escaped the incident without injury.
Findings
- The aircraft's left main gear tire deflated after striking runway edge lighting.
- The loss of tire pressure contributed to the loss of directional control.