What happened
On November 8, 2003, a Morane Saulnier MS-893-A, registration EC-FVG, was performing a non-commercial ferry flight from Almería Airport to Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport. During the takeoff roll at Almería, the pilot experienced a sudden movement in the left rudder pedal and a heavy impact under the left wing.
Following the takeoff, the pilot contacted Almería tower to report a suspected failure of the left main gear wheel. After performing a low-altitude pass for inspection, the controller reported no visible abnormalities, leading the pilot to continue the flight toward Madrid. However, upon approaching Madrid-Cuatro Vientos, the pilot requested a pass near the tower to further inspect the landing gear. During this pass, the controller identified that the nose wheel was missing.
To mitigate the risk, the pilot opted to land on a grass runway (28R) using full flaps while attempting to keep the nose off the ground for as long as possible. As the aircraft decelerated, the loss of control effectiveness caused the nose to drop and impact the ground, bringing the aircraft to a halt. The two occupants of the aircraft escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the nose gear and the sequence of events leading to the loss of the wheel. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the plane had recently undergone modifications to the brake system to allow for dual controls.
Physical inspection of the nose gear strut revealed deep imprints and material removal on the end of the strut, likely caused by the impact with the runway. The investigation also analyzed the assembly of the nose gear, which relied on a single bolt to secure the wheel and associated components. While the manufacturer reported approximately 20 similar nose gear incidents over the last 20 years, they could not provide specific details for most, other than one 1995 case involving a bolt failure due to the use of an incorrect, lower-strength bolt.
Findings
- The nose wheel and its associated assembly detached from the aircraft during the takeoff roll at Almería.
- The failure of the bolt securing the nose gear assembly was the primary cause of the wheel detachment.
- The damage to the left flap was caused by the impact of components that had detached from the nose gear.
- The specific cause of the bolt breakage could not be determined because the broken pieces of the bolt were not recovered from the Almería runway.