What happened
On the afternoon of March 29, 1997, a Stinson 108-3 Voyager, registered F-BECO, was conducting a series of touch-and-go maneuvers at Epernay. During the final takeoff of the sequence, the pilot heard a heavy thud. Shortly thereafter, a member of the aero club notified the pilot via radio that the aircraft's left wheel had detached.
Following this mechanical failure, the pilot elected to return to the aerodrome at Reims Prunay. During the landing attempt on runway 25, the aircraft veered to the left and subsequently overturned, coming to rest on its back. The aircraft sustained heavy damage during the incident. There were two persons on board, and no fatalities were reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear assembly. Investigators examined the wheel axle assembly, noting that the wheel was secured by a nut held in place by a split pin, which was itself secured by a cotter pin. Upon inspection of the wreckage, no components of the wheel's fastening mechanism were recovered from the site.
Findings
- The investigation established that the nut securing the wheel axle was subject to unscrewing forces caused by the rotation of the left wheel.
- The loss of the left wheel during the takeoff at Epernay was the primary cause of the subsequent landing accident.
- The aircraft had completed three flight hours since its last major inspection.