Summary
On 21 January 2006, a Swaziland-registered Beech 1900C aircraft (registration 3D-BEE) departed Maputo International Aerodrome, Mozambique at 0947Z on a mercy/medical flight to Lanseria International Aerodrome, South Africa. The aircraft carried two Mozambican pilots, two paramedics, an elderly male patient with a fractured hip secured to a stretcher, and the patient's wife. The accident occurred at 1550Z during the landing roll on Runway 06L.
Accident Narrative
The pilot-in-command, who was also the pilot flying, reported that after an uneventful flight, he executed a normal landing on Runway 06L. During the landing roll, he selected reverse thrust on both engines. The pilot not flying then notified him that the left-hand main landing gear down-and-locked light had extinguished and the red landing gear unsafe warning light had illuminated. Shortly thereafter, the left-hand wing began to drop. While attempting to maintain directional control, the pilot requested the non-flying pilot to shut down the engines. The aircraft veered off the runway onto the adjacent grass area before coming to rest.
Investigation Findings
No injuries were sustained by the pilots, passenger, paramedics, or patient. The aircraft sustained damage to the left-hand main landing gear, left-hand engine, left-hand propeller, left-hand landing gear doors, and left-hand outboard and inboard flaps. The last phase inspection prior to the accident was certified on 27 March 2005 at 21,152 airframe hours; at the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated a further 186 airframe hours.
Probable Cause
The left-hand undercarriage support arm draglink upper attachment bolt failed during the landing, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the aircraft. The aircraft veered off the runway to the left.