Incident Overview
On September 9, 2016, at 12:20 local time, a Beechcraft BE55 (registration N575NV) operating as a private flight under visual flight rules (VFR) from Ljubljana Airport (LJLJ) to Locarno Airfield (LSZL) suffered dual main landing gear tire bursts during landing.
Flight Details
The pilot, a Ukrainian national born in 1970, held a US private pilot license and had accumulated 1,200 total flight hours, with 70 hours in the previous 90 days. He had 320 hours on the BE55 type, including 40 hours in the preceding 90 days. The aircraft had three passengers on board.
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot's statement, this was his first landing at Locarno and in Switzerland. On final approach, the aircraft was slightly faster than usual. After touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes forcefully. The left main tire burst, and in an attempt to maintain directional control, he braked harder on the right side, leading to the right main tire also bursting. The aircraft came to rest on the grass on the left side of the runway, a few meters from the edge, at a point 620 meters past the threshold of runway 26R.
Post-Event Actions
The pilot and three passengers left the aircraft without assistance and were uninjured. The aircraft sustained minor damage, limited to the two blown tires. The runway 08L/26R was closed from 12:20 to 15:00 local time.
Investigation
The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SISI) conducted a summary investigation. The report is based solely on the pilot's account.