On September 6, 1973, a Fairchild F27 (registration PI-C875) operated by Air Manila International was involved in an aviation accident near Daet, Philippines during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A malfunction in the nosewheel steering system caused the aircraft to deviate from the runway centerline during the takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft experienced a nosewheel steering failure during its takeoff roll, resulting in a runway excursion and significant airframe damage.
What happened
While performing the takeoff roll on runway 06, the aircraft encountered a mechanical malfunction involving the nosewheel steering system. At a velocity of approximately 60 knots, the failure caused the plane to drift toward the right side of the runway. The deviation led the aircraft to veer off the paved surface and eventually come to a stop against a mound of gravel.
There were 24 occupants on board during the incident. All individuals managed to evacuate the aircraft without sustaining any injuries. Although there were no casualties, the impact with the gravel resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair.
Findings
The primary factor in the excursion was a technical issue identified within the nosewheel steering mechanism during the initial stages of takeoff.
Probable cause
A malfunction in the nosewheel steering system caused the aircraft to deviate from the runway centerline during the takeoff roll.