What happened
During an approach toward the seaplane base located in Christiansted, the flight crew identified potential mechanical issues regarding the aircraft's undercarriage. To ensure safety, the decision was made to divert the flight from its original destination to the nearby Christiansted-Alexander Hamilton Airport.
As the seaplane touched down on the runway, the left main landing gear failed and collapsed. The aircraft came to a stop following the impact. While there were no injuries reported among the two pilots on board, the structural damage to the aircraft was severe enough that it was declared a total loss.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to the mechanical failure of the landing gear. The primary cause was determined to be the failure of the upper end hydraulic actuator, which led to the collapse of the left main gear during the landing phase.
Specific findings included:
- A fatigue fracture and corrosion within the components
- Improper maintenance performed by certain maintenance personnel
- The landing gear assembly was significantly overdue for its scheduled overhaul, having exceeded the required interval by 801 hours (with a total of 1,700 hours since the last service)