Aircraft landing gear failure following runway surface defect

No fatalities • Dakar-Yoff, Senegal • Landing (descent or approach)

A newly delivered aircraft sustained substantial damage after its landing gear collapsed upon contact with a hole in the runway during landing.

What happened

During a routine approach and landing, an aircraft experienced a significant mechanical failure upon touchdown. After completing a successful landing, the pilot-in-command initiated braking maneuvers. During this process, one of the main landing gear units struck a depression in the runway surface. The impact caused the landing gear leg to detach from the airframe.

Following the collapse of the undercarriage, the aircraft settled onto its belly and slid along the pavement for several dozen yards. The momentum of the vessel caused it to overshoot the runway, eventually coming to a stop approximately 40 meters beyond the runway threshold. There were no fatalities or injuries reported during the incident.

Findings

The aircraft involved was a recently delivered unit that had been in service for only a few weeks. The structural damage sustained during the slide and subsequent overrun was so extensive that the airframe was declared a total loss. The primary factor in the accident was the impact with a hole in the runway surface, which directly led to the failure of the landing gear assembly.

Probable cause

The collapse of the undercarriage occurred when the main landing gear struck a defect in the runway surface.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1953-06-25 De Havilland DH.106 Comet accident near Dakar-Yoff, Senegal?

A newly delivered aircraft sustained substantial damage after its landing gear collapsed upon contact with a hole in the runway during landing.

Were there any fatalities in the 1953-06-25 De Havilland DH.106 Comet accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1953-06-25 involved a De Havilland DH.106 Comet, registration F-BGSC, operated by Union Aéromaritime de Transport - UAT, at Dakar-Yoff, Senegal.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The collapse of the undercarriage occurred when the main landing gear struck a defect in the runway surface.

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