Accident Summary
An aircraft conducting its final flight test for the issuance of a Certificate of Airworthiness was destroyed in a runway accident. The visual local flight was scheduled to last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The takeoff began at 15:14 hours, with the aircraft starting its roll 200 meters from the threshold of runway 23, leaving 1,900 meters of runway remaining.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft lifted off and reached a height estimated between 5 and 15 meters. About 30 seconds after the takeoff maneuver commenced, the right wing grazed the runway surface several times. During subsequent contacts, the landing gear bounced violently, causing the right tire to burst. The right landing gear leg then broke, allowing the axle and propeller to strike the ground while the right engine was operating at nearly full power.
The aircraft bounced into the air, rolled over completely, and came to rest inverted. Between the bounce and the final rest, the pilot shut off power completely, as evidenced by the condition and positions of both propellers and engine control switches, all of which were found in the "off" position. A fire erupted for reasons that could not be precisely determined. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all 10 occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation attributed the accident to a maintenance error that was not detected by airline inspectors or by an inspector from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. This was followed by an omission on the part of the pilot.