Landing gear collapse during training flight at Pisa Airbase

No fatalities • Pisa-San Giusto-Galileo Galilei (Arturo dell'Oro), Italy • Landing (descent or approach)

An aircraft sustained significant damage after a landing gear failure during a local training mission at Pisa-Arturo dell'Oro Airbase.

What happened

During a routine local training flight operating out of Pisa-Arturo dell'Oro Airbase, an aircraft experienced a heavy impact upon arrival. The crew was performing a maneuver involving a steep approach when the plane made contact with the runway with excessive force.

Immediately following the touchdown, one of the landing gear assemblies failed and collapsed under the stress of the impact. This failure caused the aircraft to slide along its fuselage until it eventually came to a complete stop. While the incident resulted in no injuries to those on board, the structural damage sustained during the belly slide was severe enough that the aircraft was declared a total loss.

Findings

  • The primary factor contributing to the accident was a hard landing following a steep descent profile.
  • The mechanical failure of the landing gear occurred as a direct consequence of the high-impact touchdown.

Probable cause

The collapse of the landing gear was caused by the excessive force of a hard landing during a steep approach.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1979-01-24 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar accident near Pisa-San Giusto-Galileo Galilei (Arturo dell'Oro), Italy?

An aircraft sustained significant damage after a landing gear failure during a local training mission at Pisa-Arturo dell'Oro Airbase.

Were there any fatalities in the 1979-01-24 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1979-01-24 involved a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, registration MM52-6030, operated by Italian Air Force - Aeronautica Militare Italiana, at Pisa-San Giusto-Galileo Galilei (Arturo dell'Oro), Italy.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The collapse of the landing gear was caused by the excessive force of a hard landing during a steep approach.

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