Flight and Incident
On December 8, 2021, a Piper PA 34-200T Seneca, registration HK5136G, operated as a private flight, departed Bogotá's Flaminio Suarez Camacho Airport (SKGY) for Popayán's Guillermo León Valencia Airport (SKPP). The flight was routine until landing at 11:50 local time. The aircraft touched down normally on Runway 26. During the deceleration phase of the landing roll, the nose landing gear retracted, causing the aircraft's nose to contact the runway surface. The aircraft slid along the runway for approximately 15 meters before coming to a stop. The pilot notified air traffic control, and airport emergency services responded. The occupants exited the aircraft unaided.
Occupants and Injuries
The aircraft carried one pilot and two passengers. All three occupants were uninjured. No ground personnel were injured.
Aircraft Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Inspection revealed damage to the propeller blades and sudden stoppage of both engines. The lower fuselage and forward baggage compartment were damaged due to the nose gear retraction.
Investigation
The Colombian Directorate of Technical Investigation of Accidents (DIACC) investigated the serious incident. The aircraft had undergone a 100-hour inspection prior to the flight. The investigation focused on the nose landing gear mechanism. Examination found that the coupling and adjustment bar of the over-center guide for the nose landing gear had fractured. The fracture was attributed to fatigue of components essential for safe landing gear operation.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factors
The probable cause was determined to be a fracture of the coupling and adjustment bar of the over-center guide of the nose landing gear, which led to misalignment and subsequent retraction during deceleration after landing. The fracture likely resulted from fatigue of components critical to landing gear safety.
A contributing factor was the lack of effective processes, detailed inspections, and maintenance alerts to anticipate, prevent, or detect failures in the nose landing gear mechanism, particularly the coupling bar, given its service time and operational stresses.