What happened
On 25 April 2002, a Mooney M20J, registered ZS-OBV, was preparing for departure from Port Alfred Aerodrome. The flight was intended to proceed to the Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, carrying a pilot and one passenger.
After completing all necessary pre-takeoff inspections, the pilot lined up on Runway 28 and initiated the takeoff roll. While the engine was producing full power and all engine parameters, including temperature and pressure, remained within normal operating ranges, the aircraft encountered a sudden mechanical failure. Roughly 75 meters into the takeoff run, the nose gear collapsed, causing the propeller to make contact with the runway surface. The aircraft slid along the runway for an additional 13 meters before coming to a halt. There were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the structural integrity of the landing gear assembly. Maintenance records indicated that the aircraft held a valid Certificate of Release to Service, which had been issued in March 2002. The aircraft had flown 56.3 hours since its last periodic inspection (MPI).
An inspection of the nose undercarriage leg was conducted by an Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO). This examination revealed that the nose gear retraction truss had suffered a massive overload, which directly led to the collapse of the undercarriage during the takeoff roll.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure of the nose gear retraction truss.
- The failure was attributed to a massive overload applied to the truss structure during the takeoff roll.