What happened
While performing the initial takeoff roll, the crew experienced significant vibrations originating from the left engine. In response to these mechanical irregularities, the captain elected to abort the takeoff procedure. During the subsequent sequence of events, a breakdown in cockpit communication led the co-pilot to mistakenly retract the landing gear while the aircraft was still in motion on the runway.
Without the support of the undercarriage, the aircraft type impacted the runway surface directly on its belly. The impact caused the plane to skid across the ground for several yards before finally coming to a halt. Although the incident resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss due to extensive structural damage, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified that the primary mechanical trigger was a failure within the propeller hub of the left engine, which produced the initial vibrations. However, the critical factor in the accident was poor crew coordination and communication, which directly resulted in the premature retraction of the undercarriage during the aborted takeoff roll.