What happened
Following the successful completion of three morning missions, a twin-engine aircraft was preparing for its fourth jump sortie. The flight was carrying a total of six skydivers. During the initial takeoff roll, the pilot determined that the aircraft would not be able to reach the necessary speed for flight.
Upon realizing the takeoff could not be completed, the pilot initiated an aborted takeoff procedure. During this maneuver, the pilot observed individuals positioned at the far end of the runway. To avoid a potential collision with these people, the pilot intentionally steered the aircraft to the right, exiting the paved surface.
As the aircraft moved onto the unpaved area, the nose landing gear collapsed due to the impact with the soft terrain. The excursion resulted in the left wing being partially torn from the airframe. All six passengers were able to evacuate the aircraft without harm, though the pilot sustained slight injuries during the incident.
Findings
- The pilot performed a voluntary maneuver to avoid personnel at the runway end.
- The collapse of the nose gear was caused by the aircraft contacting soft ground.