What happened
On March 16, 2024, at 13:25 local time, a Piper PA 34-220T, registration HK4569, was performing an air ambulance mission at Aeródromo Guaymaral (SKGY) in Chía, Colombia. The aircraft, carrying a crew of two and two medical personnel, was arriving from Puerto Inírida.
During the landing on runway 11, the aircraft experienced a sudden deviation from the runway centerline. As the pilot attempted to maintain directional control, the right main landing gear tire suffered a complete loss of inflation pressure. This caused the tire to drag excessively, leading to a momentary excursion and a subsequent uncontrolled drift to the right. The aircraft eventually came to a stop in the safety area, approximately 29 meters from the runway edge. All 6 occupants evacuated the aircraft safely without injury.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing roll and the mechanical state of the landing gear. Investigators analyzed flight data from an onboard iPad, which provided parameters including ground speed and altitude. The analysis revealed that the aircraft crossed the runway threshold at 93 KIAS, which was 3 knots above the maximum speed established in the aircraft's flight manual.
Technical examinations of the landing gear found that while the tires had been recently serviced and showed no pre-existing defects, the right main gear suffered significant structural damage to the link assembly and trunnion assembly due to the extreme stress of the dragging tire during the excursion. The investigation also confirmed that the aircraft was within its weight and balance limits and that the weather conditions were suitable for VFR flight, though a left crosswind was present.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the crew's inability to maintain directional control following the sudden loss of inflation pressure in the right main landing gear tire.
- The excessive drag produced by the deflated tire made it impossible to correct the aircraft's deviation from the runway centerline.
- Contributing factors included a left crosswind during touchdown and an approach speed that exceeded the manufacturer's recommended limits.