What happened
On March 5, 2011, an Embraer EMB-810D, registration PT-VAE, operated by America do Sul Táxi Aéreo Ltda., was performing a check flight between Cuiabá (SBCY) and Estância Santa Rita (SJCY) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The aircraft was carrying two pilots and three passengers.
During the fourth landing attempt of the flight, following touchdown on runway 30, the nose landing gear retracted unexpectedly. This caused the aircraft to veer left from its intended landing path before coming to a stop on the runway. The impact resulted in damage to the nose landing gear and the propeller blades. All five occupants on board were uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators confirmed that the flight crew was properly qualified, with valid licenses and medical certificates. The aircraft was also found to be in compliance with airworthiness requirements, within weight and balance limits, and possessed up-to-date maintenance logs.
Technical analysis of the nose gear assembly by the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) revealed a fracture in the nose gear lock joint. Laboratory examinations determined that the component showed no signs of fatigue or corrosion; instead, the fracture was caused by a bending overload.
Records indicated that the aircraft had been involved in a similar incident in December 2010, where the nose gear also retracted during the landing roll. Following that event, the nose gear had been repaired by a maintenance organization. However, the investigation found that the maintenance facility had failed to follow the specific alignment procedures for the nose gear as prescribed in the manufacturer's service manual.