What happened
On September 23, 2003, at 15:02 UTC, a Cessna 525 Citation, operated by a charter company, was performing a flight from Innsbruck to Vienna. The flight crew, consisting of a pilot and co-pilot, was accompanied by two passengers.
Upon landing on Runway 34 at Vienna Airport, the aircraft entered the landing roll phase. During this phase, the left main landing gear wheel became blocked. This resulted in a tire burst, causing the aircraft to veer to the left. Despite the crew's attempts to maintain the runway centerline by applying the right rudder pedal and right-side brakes, the aircraft drifted toward the left edge of the runway. The aircraft subsequently struck a runway edge light and crossed the grass strip, eventually coming to a stop on taxiway B10.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Safety Investigation Office (SUB) following notification from Austro Control. The sequence of events was reconstructed using statements from involved parties and witnesses, alongside findings from public safety services and investigators. The investigation focused on the mechanical failure during the landing roll and the subsequent loss of directional control.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the burst of the left main gear tire following a blockage of the wheel.
- The loss of directional control prevented the crew from maintaining the runway centerline despite corrective rudder and braking inputs.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the underside of the left wing, the left flap, the left main landing gear, and the left wheel, including the tire and rim.
- There were two fatalities and two injuries among the crew and passengers.