What happened
On 2 and 29 March 2006, a private Beechcraft 58P, registration N65MJ, was performing a flight from Coventry, UK, to Jerez, Spain. After a technical stop for refueling at Santander Airport (LEXJ), the crew prepared for departure on runway 11. During the takeoff roll, as the aircraft reached a speed of 75 kt, the crew experienced a vibration through the control stick. Immediately following this vibration, the aircraft pitched forward, striking the runway with the nose and both propellers. The aircraft continued along the runway, eventually drifting toward the right edge before coming to a halt. The occupants, including the pilot and copilot, were able to exit the aircraft under their own power without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The aircraft had undergone a 50-hour inspection on the same day as the incident, which included the replacement of the main gear tires. While the nose gear tire had been inspected and its pressure adjusted to manual specifications, it had not been replaced. Investigators also examined the meteorological data, noting significant crosswind conditions with gusts reaching 22 kt. Physical evidence on the runway included tire debris and impact marks from the propellers, which began near the 950-meter centerline light.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in significant crosswind conditions, with winds from 180 degrees at 16 kt and gusts up to 22 kt.
- The nose gear tire had not been replaced during the recent maintenance check, and its structural integrity may have been degraded by previous low-pressure cycles.
- The rupture of the tire due to low pressure, combined with the lateral forces from the crosswind, led to the collapse of the nose gear support structure.
- The investigation suggests the aircraft may have experienced a slight bounce during the takeoff roll, and the subsequent impact with the runway centerline light contributed to the failure.