Incident Overview
An aircraft operating an ambulance flight from Palm Beach to Rio de Janeiro, with intermediate stops in Aguadilla and Manaus, experienced a runway overrun during takeoff. The flight was transporting one patient, a medical team, and two pilots.
Sequence of Events
During the takeoff roll on Runway 10 at Manaus-Eduardo Gomes Airport, just before reaching V1 speed, the crew heard a loud noise from the right side of the airplane. Simultaneously, the aircraft began to deviate to the right. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff and initiated a braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining runway distance, the aircraft overran the runway end and came to rest approximately 400 meters past the end. All six occupants evacuated without injury, while the aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation identified the following findings:
- The external tire on the right main gear deflated during the takeoff roll.
- The crew retarded the power levers and deployed the spoilers.
- The crew did not use the parachute, judging the relative low speed and thinking this was optional equipment.
- Technical analysis of the right main gear revealed that the six bolts on the external wheel torque were approximately 90% lower than foreseen, which may have contributed to the tire deflection.