What happened
On July 19, 2019, at approximately 9:10 AM, a Piper PA-23-250, registration N66GF, was involved in a runway excursion at Leonard Thompson International Airport (MYAM) in Abaco, Bahamas. The aircraft had originated its flight from Stuart, Florida (KSUA) carrying a total of four people, including one pilot and three passengers.
As the aircraft approached runway 09 for landing, the pilot confirmed that the landing gear was down and locked, noting the appropriate green light indications. However, upon the initial touchdown on the runway, the nose gear failed, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway to the right. The impact resulted in damage to the undercarriage, the nose cone, and both propellers. There were no injuries reported among the occupants.
The investigation
The AAID conducted a field investigation into the incident. Investigators reviewed the flight details and the aircraft's condition following the event. The scope of the inquiry focused on the sequence of events leading from the initial contact with the runway to the aircraft exiting the paved surface.