No fatalities

1968-04-11: Lockheed P-3 Orion (A9-296) — Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF — Moffett AFB, United States of America

Moffett AFB, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On April 11, 1968, a Lockheed P-3 Orion (registration A9-296) operated by Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF was involved in an aviation accident near Moffett AFB, United States of America during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of a main landing gear component upon touchdown led to the aircraft's collapse and subsequent fire. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781238872Data APIEditorial standards

A new aircraft intended for the Royal Australian Air Force caught fire after a landing gear failure during a local test flight.

What happened

During a scheduled local test flight, an aircraft intended for delivery to the Royal Australian Air Force experienced a significant mechanical failure. As the crew was finishing the flight operations, one of the main landing gear units failed upon touchdown.

The resulting collapse caused the aircraft to come to rest in a position that led to an immediate fire. Despite the intensity of the flames, all four crew members were able to evacuate the wreckage without sustaining any injuries. However, the fire resulted in the total destruction of the airframe.

Findings

Investigations into the incident concluded that the primary factor was the collapse of the undercarriage during the landing phase.

Probable cause

The failure of a main landing gear component upon touchdown led to the aircraft's collapse and subsequent fire.