Summary
On 29 March 2022, an Airbus A320-214, registration CC-BAS, operated by a Colombian airline, was scheduled for passenger flights from Pereira (SKPE) to Rionegro (SKRG) and then to Cartagena (SKCG). The aircraft had 153 occupants on board (6 crew, 147 passengers). During the approach to Rionegro, the flight crew extended the landing gear and received an ECAM WHEEL N/W STRG FAULT message indicating a nose wheel steering malfunction. They executed a go-around, recycled the landing gear, and the message cleared. The subsequent landing in Rionegro was uneventful.
Maintenance Actions
After landing, maintenance personnel confirmed the nose wheel steering (NWS) system failure and deactivated it in accordance with the Minimum Equipment List (MEL). This rendered the nose wheel free to castor, meaning directional control on the ground would rely on differential braking and asymmetric thrust.
Flight Sequence to Cartagena
With the NWS deferred, the crew initiated the takeoff from runway 01 at Rionegro. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced high vibrations. After rotation, an ECAM L/G SHOCK ABSORBER FAULT message appeared. The crew continued the flight to Cartagena. Post-flight inspection revealed that the nose landing gear had rotated 90 degrees from the normal position during takeoff. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear and related components.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the erroneous configuration of a Brake and Steering Control Unit (BSCU) led to the failure of the NWS system. The maintenance deferral, while per MEL, did not account for the risk of the nose gear not aligning properly during takeoff. The lack of directional control from the nose wheel contributed to the abnormal gear position and high vibrations.
Conclusion
The serious incident resulted from a combination of a BSCU malfunction and the subsequent MEL deferral of the nose wheel steering system. The aircraft's nose landing gear was not properly oriented during takeoff, leading to a high-vibration event and damage to the gear.