What happened
During an approach to Tijuana-General Abelardo L. Rodríguez Airport, an aircraft encountered challenging weather conditions characterized by low cloud ceilings of approximately 180 metres. While on short final approach, the pilot identified that the aircraft was not properly aligned with the intended flight path. Despite several attempts to correct the positioning, the maneuvers were ineffective.
As a result of the improper alignment, the aircraft experienced a heavy impact upon touchdown, striking the ground with the right main landing gear first. The force of this impact caused both tires on the right main gear to burst. Following the tire failure, the aircraft lost directional control and veered toward the right side of the runway before coming to a complete stop. There were no injuries reported among the six occupants on board, though the aircraft was determined to be a total loss due to the extent of the structural damage.
Findings
- The landing was performed under poor visibility conditions with low cloud cover.
- Ineffective course corrections during the final approach led to an off-center touchdown.
- The primary mechanical failure was the bursting of the right main gear tires following a high-impact landing.