What happened
On the morning of 10 November 2011, an Avro 146-RJ85, registration ZS-SSH, was prepared for a domestic flight from OR Tambo International Airport (FAJS) to Pietermaryitzburg. After completing a prior international leg, the crew substituted this aircraft for another due to a pressurization issue on the originally intended plane.
During the pre-flight phase, the ramp controller alerted the crew that the nose landing gear doors remained open. Because no defects were noted in the technical logbook, the crew proceeded with the takeoff. Shortly after liftoff, the crew noted significant vibration and wind noise originating from the nose gear area. Upon attempting to recycle the undercarriage, the vibration persisted, prompting a decision to return to the airport. During the landing approach, the nose landing gear failed to extend and lock. The aircraft performed an emergency landing on Runway 03R, touching down on the main gear first. The nose of the aircraft subsequently lowered and scraped along the runway surface for approximately 2500m. While 74 passengers and the crew were evacuated, 7 passengers were taken to the hospital for observation, though no injuries were ultimately sustained.
The investigation
The SACAA AIID investigation examined the mechanical state of the aircraft and the maintenance history leading up to the incident. Investigators reviewed the flight recorder data, which confirmed the landing gear status and the aircraft's attitude during the runway excursion. The inquiry also looked into the maintenance procedures performed on the nose landing gear door assembly prior to the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure of the nose landing gear to extend and lock into position.
- A significant contributing factor was a maintenance error: during a previous non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection, the nose landing gear door operating rod had been disconnected. This rod was not reconnected to its normal position after the maintenance work was completed.
- The improperly positioned operating rod physically obstructed the nose landing gear from fully extending.