What happened
On January 28, 2016, a Cessna 402B, registration HK-4901-G, was conducting a local flight from El Alcaraván Airport (SKYP) in Yopal, Colombia. The aircraft, operated by Aerollanos del Oriente S.A.S., departed at 12:31 HL for a local flight over the Araguaney area. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested and received authorization to return to the airport.
During the landing roll on runway 05, the left main landing gear suffered a structural failure. This caused the gear to retract, leading to a loss of directional control. The aircraft veered toward the left side of the runway, eventually exiting the paved surface and coming to rest in the safety area between taxiways Alpha and Bravo. The incident occurred under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). All three occupants (the pilot and two passengers) were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft on their own. There was no post-impact fire, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage, including a broken left main gear, deformed landing gear doors, propeller blade deformation, and engine stoppage.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the structural failure of the landing gear component. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the most recent service was a 200-hour inspection. The investigation also looked into the flight parameters, confirming that the aircraft was within weight and balance limits and that weather conditions were favorable.
Notably, the investigation found that the operator declined to submit the fractured component for metallographic analysis, which was requested by the authorities. The investigation concluded that the aircraft was airworthy and that the pilot was properly licensed and qualified for the operation.