What happened
On May 27, 2020, an Aero Boero 180 RVR, registration LV-AOX, was conducting a general aviation flight for pilot transition training at the San Martín Aerodrome in Mendoza, Argentina. The flight, operated by Aeroclub San Martín, consisted of circuit practice involving touch-and-go maneuvers.
During the third touch-and-go, the instructor pilot noted an unusual noise originating from the landing gear. Because the aircraft continued to operate without further immediate indications of malfunction, the crew proceeded with the training circuit. The instructor advised the student pilot to perform the final landing as gently as possible due to the suspected gear issue.
Upon completing the landing and proceeding at taxi speeds toward the parking apron, the left main landing gear strut failed. This caused the aircraft to tilt sharply to the left, resulting in the left wingtip making contact with the runway surface. The aircraft came to an immediate halt without the propeller striking the ground.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the structural integrity of the landing gear assembly. Physical examination of the aircraft and photographic evidence confirmed the failure of the shock absorber component (sandow) within the left main gear strut. The investigation analyzed the fracture pattern of the component in relation to the maneuvers being performed during the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the fracture of the left main gear shock absorber (sandally/sandow) due to structural loads exceeding the component's design limits.
- The failure occurred while the aircraft was taxiing after the final landing.
- The collapse of the gear caused the left wingtip to scrape the runway, resulting in minor damage to the airframe.
- There were no injuries to the crew members during the event.