What happened
On February 6, 2010, a Cessna 206F was conducting a flight from Sucúa to Mashuin under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The aircraft was carrying 865 pounds of cargo and 660 pounds of fuel. During the approach to Mashuin, the pilot informed Taisha Tower that they were descending from 5,500 feet to 3,500 feet. At approximately 15:20 UTC, the pilot notified the tower of a flight plan cancellation as the aircraft was five miles from the destination.
Upon reaching Mashuin, the pilot performed a pattern to check runway conditions before landing on runway 10. The initial contact was made with the right main gear approximately 55 meters from the threshold. Six meters further along, the left main gear made contact. After rolling for three meters, the left main gear tire assembly detached from the aircraft. The aircraft continued for a total of 175.1 meters before swerving to the left and coming to a stop within the runway strip. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the mechanical state of the landing gear, the maintenance records of the aircraft, and the operational environment of the runways used by the operator. Investigators reviewed the aircraft's logs, which showed that the left main gear had been installed in March 2009 with zero hours of service. While no hard landings were recorded in the six months prior to the accident, investigators noted discrepancies in the maintenance logs, including redundant entries for pre-flight inspections.
The board also investigated the communication and emergency response. Although the pilot attempted to cancel the flight plan, the controller at Taisha Tower did not receive the message clearly, hearing only microphone clicking. Furthermore, despite the aircraft failing to arrive at its destination as scheduled, no emergency search and rescue procedures were initiated by the tower until the following afternoon, when the accident was reported via local residents.
Findings
- The landing at Mashuin was not a hard landing; the tracks left on the runway indicated a normal touchdown.
- The left main gear axle failed due to progressive fatigue caused by frequent operations on unpaved runways containing potholes and loose stones, specifically at the operator's base in Sucúa.
- The flight departed Sucúa without verified meteorological conditions for the destination airport.
- There were deficiencies in the maintenance logging practices of the operator.
- Emergency notification procedures were not activated by air traffic control despite the aircraft missing its estimated arrival time.